But now when Faith comes it opens a mans Eyes to see things that are invisible it is the Evidence of things not seen By Faith Moses saw him that was invisible And therefore when the Apostle Peter doth direct his People for to see things past present and to come he exhorts them to a work of Faith Epist 1. ver 9. He that lâ—cks these things is blind one of those things is Faith as you read in verse 5. Give all diligence â—ad to your Faith c. then He that lacketh these things is blind at verse 9. But suppose a man do want Faith wherein is he blind Why saith the Apostle He cannot see things afar off he cannot see into the other world he cannot see unto the end of a Temptation or Affliction or to the end of a Desertion Well but though he cannot see things that are to come yet he may see things that are past Nay saith he if a man wants the Assurance of Gods Love and that is an Act of Faith he haâ—h forgotten that he was purged from his old sins Wherefore the rather saith he at verâ—e 10. Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Eleâ—tion sure If you would see things past present and to come then grow in Faith and Assurance of Gods Love and so saith he shal you be able to see things that are afar off Couâ—d a man but see what would be the end and issue of his Affliction he would be quiet under it It is in regard of our Affliction as it is in regard of your Salt or Sea Water Take the Water as it is in the Sea and so it is salt and brackish but drawn up by the Sun into the Clouds it becomes sweet and fals down into sweet Rain So take an Afflâ—ction in it self and it is salt and brackish but drawn up by Divine Love then it is sweet and if a soul can but tast the Love of God in it and see what a loving end the Lord wil make he wil then find it is very sweet and say I could not have been without this Affliction I do not know how any one twig of this rod could have been spared Now it 's only Faith that shews a man the end and the issue of all his troubles It stands upon the high Tower of the Threatening and Promise seeing over al Mountains and Difficulties it seeth into the other World it sees through Death and beyond Death it sees through Affliction and beyond Affliction it seeth through Temptation and beyond Temptation it seeth through Desertion and beyond Desertion it seeth through Gods Anger and beyond his Anger I say it seeth things past present and to come Now if a man had such a power as he were able to fetch in al his former experiences to see things present as they are and to see all the events and issues of things to come would he not be quiet notwithstanding all that might arise for the present Thus Faith is able to shew a man things past present and to come and to shew him greater matter of comfort than the matter of his troubles is and in so doing it must needs quiet the soul Answ 2 Secondly Faith true saving Faith doth see that in God and in Christ which answers unto all our fears wants and miseries For Faith closeth with the Name of God Let him stay himself upon the Name of God Isa 50. Now there is that in Gods Name that doth Answer unto all our Fears and wants For Example Exod. 34. the Lord descended in the Clouds at verse 5. and stood with Moses there and proclaimed the Name of the Lord ver 6. The Lord the Lord Jehovah Jehovah that is one that gives a being unto things that are not Will you say O! that it were thus or thus with me but as Rachel mourned for her Children and could not be comforted because they were not so do I mourn after Prayers because they are not and after Duties because they are not and afâ—er Humiliations because they are not Well saith the Lord be of good comfort for my Name is Jehovah who do give a Being to things that are not and this he repeateth The Lord the Lord or Jehovah Jehovah Well but though the Lord do give a Being to things that are not this doth not comfort me for though I praise the Lord I can say my Prayers are and my Duties are yet the Lord knows they are very weak and my Temptations are very strong and my Lusts mighty and therefore I am thus discouraged Yet be of good comfort for saith the Lord my Name is EL that is the strong or the mighty God and therefore though thou beest never so weak and thy Duties weak yet I wil carry on the work of my Grace in thee and though thy Temptations be never so strong and thy Lusts strong yet I am stronger for my Name is EL thâ— mighty God O! but though God be strong and able to help me yet I fear that God is not willing to help me I know God is able and that God is strong enough but I fear the Lord is not willing and therefore I am thus discouraged yet be of good comfort saith the Lord for my Name is Merciful that is the next word The Lord the Lord the Mighty God and as my Name is the Mighty God and therefore am able to help thee so my Name is Merciful and therefore am willing to help thee But though the Lord be willing to help me yet I am a poor unworthy Creature and I have nothing at al to move God to help me Yet be of good comfort for saith the Lord then my Name is Gracious I do not shew Mercy because you are good but because I am good nor do I stand upon your desert but I shew mercy out of free Love my Name is Gracious O! but I have been sinning I have been sinning a long time ten twenty thirty forty fifty yeers had I come in at sâ—â—â—â— I might have had mercy but I have been sinning long and therefore I fear there is no mercy for me Yet saith the Lord be 〈◊〉 good comfort for my Name is Long-suffering that is the noâ—â— Gracious and Long-suffering slow to Anger or Long-suffering O! but I have sinned exceedingly I have sinned abundantly so many Sins as I am never able to reckon up and to humble my self for I have broken al my Promises with God and al the Vows that I have made unto him and therefore I am thus discouraged Yet saith he be of good Comfort for I am abundant in Goodness and Truth Art thou abundant in sin I am abundant in Goodness And hast thou broken Faith with me yet I am abundant in Goodness and in Truth also O! but though the Lord be thus unto his own chosen Ones such as David Abraham or Moses yet I fear the Lord wil not be so to me Yes saith the Lord at verse 7. Keeping mercy for thousands I have
I. SCRIPTURE-LIGHT THE MOST SURE LIGHT In compare with 1. Revelations and Visions 2. Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without the Word 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7. Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrologie Delivered in Three Sermons on 2 Pet. 1.19 II. CHRIST IN TRAVEL Wherein 1. The greatness of his Travel both in Soul and Body 2. The first and after Effects of his Death 3. His Assurance of Issue 4. His Satisfaction therein Are opened and cleered in Three Sermons on Isai 53.11 III. A LIFTING UP for the DOWN-CAST In case of 1. Great Sins 2. Weakness of Grace 3. Miscarriage of Duties 4. Want of Assurance 5. Affliction 6. Temptation 7. Desertion 8. Vnserviceableness 9. Discouragements from the Condition it self Delivered in Thirteen Sermons on Psal 42.11 Four several Sermons concerning 1. The Sin against the Holy Ghost 2. Sins of Infirmity 3. The False Apostle tryed and discovered 4. The Good and Means of Establishment Preached by VVilliam Bridge somtimes Fellow of Emmanuel Colledg in Cambridg and now Pastor of the Church of Christ in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk Sine gratia sordet Natura London Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold in his Shop at the Sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. To the Worshipful Maurice Thompson Esquire George Thompson Esquire William Thompson Esquire Sheriff of London Robert Thompson Esq S R John Wittewrong Knight William Ofield Esquire Samuel Champnes Elias Roberts and William Hawkins Esquires With their Wives and Children Grace and Peace Honored and Beloved in our Lord Jesus IT is not want of respect that I seem thus to crowd your Names together I owe more than an Epistle to each of your Names but because God hath made you one though branched into several Habitations I take the boldness to present this work to you as unto one Family It is written of the Stork Ciconiae mos est unum è pullis relinquere Domui qua nidulata est Ludo Vives that she useth to leave one of her Young ones to the House where she made her nest and upon that account some of my labors do belong to your Family where I studyed and from whence I Preached them some of you and yours have often desired the Publishing of these Notes and being Printed whither should the Press send them but to your Door you are the Family with whom I have had the honor to converse much whilst living and now the Blossoms of the Grave are upon me I dedicate these Notes unto you that by them I may live and speak with you when my Head shal lie under the Clods you are a Family whom the Lord hath blessed and raysed not only to a great estate in the world but to the saving knowledg of his Son our dear Savior and whom should I serve and honor but those whom God honors and blesseth 1. That Family is not far from blessing which hath Godly Children Children trayned up and seasoned with the Grace of Christ from the Cradle The Lord blessed the House of Obed-edom and wherein did that blessing consist the Scripture tells us 1 Chron. 26. That some of his Children were Porters in the House of God others were mighty Men of Valor able Men for strength and service and the reason is given ver 5. For the Lord blessed him So that Children useful and serviceable both in Church and State are a great blessing unto a Family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia filius est aedificium patris The Hebrews say that Children are the Fathers building and indeed he builds wisely that doth lay the Foundations of his House in a Godly Seed Loe Children saith the Psalmist are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the Womb are his reward as Arrowes in the Hand of the mighty so are Children of the youth blessed is the Man that hath his Quiver ful of them Especially where these Arrowes are wel headed wel hearted too And upon this account it is good for great Families to have good Servants For corrupt Servants do debauch Children and debauched Children do scatter Brimstone upon the House of their Fathers 2. Neither is that Family an unblessed Family which is strict in the observation of the Sabbath or the Lords day God hath blessed that day that he might bless them who do keep that day hereby England hath been blessed with the power of godliness more than other Nations My Sabbath saith God shall be a sign between me and thee Servasti diem Daminicam Christianus sum ' intermittere non possum And in the Primitive times when a Christian was asked whether he had kept the Lords day his answer generally was I am a Christian I cannot neglect it as if the observation of the Lords day were the badg of a Christian this is the Girdle of al our Duties and in respect of this Girdle I may say Ungirt unblessed the vallies of the week day are blessed by the upper springs of this day and as the Commandement doth especially poynt at and look wishly upon the Master of the Family saying Neither thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter c. So doth the blessing also 3. Blessed is that Family which doth industriously seek to build the House of God and the House of the Poor David did but intend to build Gods House and the Lord promised him to build his House The Egiptian Midwives spared the Israelites Children whereby the Poor Families and Houses of the Israelites were built And the Lord dealt wel with the Midwives and made them Houses Exod. 1.20 4. Neither is that Family far from blessing which is a friend to the Ministry Receiving hiding and refreshing the paynful and faithful Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel The Lord give mercy saith Paul to the House of Onesiphorus for he hath refreshed me Not once and no more but he hath oft refreshed me nor did he do this because I followed him and sought him out but he sought me out very diligently and found me And in the day of my greatest affliction he was not ashamed of me for he was not ashamed of my Chains wherefore the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in that day and give mercy unto the House of Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 1.16.17.18 He that receiveth a Prophet saith our Savior in the Name of a Prophet shal receive a Prophets reward and what is the reward of a Prophet but to profit by the Prophet and to have a share in his Venture and in al that good which he doth by his Ministry 5. A praying Family also is a precious Family and blessed Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum frustra laborat quisquis eam aedificat Psal 127. Non enim dicit Dominus aedificat domum nomine scilicet laborante sed ita nisi Dominus aedisica verit frustra laborat perinde ac si diceret labore
Light indeed As it is a safe and sure Light so it is a pleasant and satisfying Light Light is pleasant to the Eye and the Eye ordinarily is not satisfied with seeing but this is that light which doth bring men to rest for when a man knows what shal be his Portion for ever then his heart is at rest and not before Now it is only the Scripture and the Light thereof which under Christ doth discover and manifest that unto men Stand in the old and good way saith the Prophet and ye shall find rest That way is this Scripture way if a man once depart from the Scripture he runs from one Error to another and he rests not but here is rest to be found This is that satisfying Light which doth bring unto rest As it is a pleasant satisfying Light so it is a ful and sufficient Light able to make the man of God perfect unto Salvation The Law of the Lord is perfect Psal 19. and it makes perfect else it were no Rule of Life for as Austin speaks the Regula must be Regulato suo adaequata Surely therefore it is sufficient to administer help unto al Conditions It 's a Lanthorn to our seet whatever ground our feet are on or in what dark place soever this Light can find them out What state can you be in but the Scripture wil find a Commandement for your Rule and a Promise for your assistance and reward It is able to reach unto al cond tions for it is a ful and sufficient Light As it is a ful and sufficient Lighâ— so it is a cleâ—r Light a Light that shineth it hath no Thief in it as many Lights and Candles have not that there are no hard things therein and difficulties where is the man that ever was able to untie al the knots and difficulties of Scripture Passimur apertis exercemur obscutis illie fames pellitur hic fastidium Austin Pauls Epistles have their hard things to be understood even in the Eyes of Peter Epist 2. Chap. 3. Verse 16. Yet what Truth is in all the Scripture which is necessary to Salvation but doth he plain and cleer For this Commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it afar off It is not in Heaven c. Nor is it beyond the Sea c. But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. Rom. 10.6 c. Vnto you it is given saith Christ to his Disciples to know the mysteries of the Kingdom If the Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that perish but we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 Surely therefore this Light is a cleer and a shining Light As it is a cleer Light so it is the best Light in the World the most excellent Light a Light beyond al other things which do pretend to Light Seven or eight things there are in these Times which men do cry up as great Lights whereby many do profess to walk And those are 1. Revelations or Visions 2. Dreams 3. Impressions made upon the heart with or without a Word 4. Experience 5. The Law and Light within 6. Providence 7. Reason 8. Judicial Astrology But now if you compare these Lights with Scripture Light ye shal find that this is that only Light which doth exceed them al and that there is no more Light in them than what they do borrow from it Quest Wherein doth this Scripture-Light exceed or go beyond Revelations or Visions and the Light thereof Instance I. Answ 1. This Scripture-Light as you have seen is a ful Light a Light which did â—hine forth at once in and by Jesus Christ Revelations and Visions are more particular though God did somtimes speak in that way and manner yet then he spake drop by drop guttatim but now he hath in these last daies spoken his ful mind by his Son These were but as the Apples which did fal from the Tree of Wisdom but in the Gospel and Scripture ye have the whol-Tree iâ— self Look therefore what difference there is between the Tree and some particular Apple that doth fal from it so great a difference there is between thâ—s and those Scripture-Light is the highest Light Scripture Dispensation the highest Dispensation The Dispensation of Visions and Revelations was of a lower rank When the People of God were in their Infancy they were lâ—d much by Visions and Revelations that being a Dispensation which did most suit with an Infant state And what is the reason that so many Christians now do desire Visions and Revelations but because they are weak and upon the return to the Law again The stronger any Christian is the more he doth walk by Faith and the more he doth live by Faith the more he doth chuse to walk by the Scripture the written Word of God the Object of Faith 'T is recorded of Luther That when he had fasted and prayed a whol day and then had a Vision of Christ he cried out and said Avoid avoid thou confounded Devil I know no Picture of Christ but the Scripture Therein is Christ livâ—ly pictured described and set forth before our Eyes 'T is not so in Revelations and Visions This Scripture-Light is a more sure and certain Light For if God should now speak unto you by Visions or Visional Revelations how would you know that this were the Voyce of God and not a delusion of Satan Would ye know it by the Truth that is spoken how do ye know the Truth but by Scripture Ditamus preterea quoniam non est humanitus regula generalis vel ars dabilis ad discernendum semper et infallibiliter quae verae sunt et quae falsae aut illusotiae revelationes Gersom Tract de distinctione verarum et falsar visionum Tom. 1. 175 176 c. And who doth not know that the Devil wil speak an hundred Truths that he may crowd in one Lye amongst them Or would ye know that it is a true Revelation and not an illusion by the high things that should be revealed What greater higher things than the things of the Gospel these are the mystery of the Kingdom called the deep things of God and saies the Apostle Paul I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ And how did Satan beguile Eve but by perswading her to high things that she should be like to God And thus I fear many are beguiled even at this day amongst us Or would ye know a Revelation of Gods from the delusion of Satan by the event in that some future thing is revealed to you which doth fal out accordingly then read what the Lord saies in Deut. 13.1 If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a sign Sancti autem viri inter
man can foretel future things by the Stars then what need of Prophesie The Lord tels us in Esai 47. that he wil bring evil upon his People which they with al their Astrologers should not be able to foresee and hide themselves from verse 11. Therefore shall evil come upon thee and thou shalt not know whence it riseth No! but we wil might they say go unto our Astrologers Do so saies God verse 12. Stand now with thine Inchantments and with the multitude of thy Sorceries if so be thou maist be able to profit and verse 13. Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the Monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee Behold they shall be as stubble verse 14. Iâ— Aâ—â—rologers and Star-gazers can foretel the several Changes in States and Common-wealths and what great things shal come to pass therein and how they come to pass then why doth God say here that in spight of al them thou shalt not know whence this evil comes verse 11. Surely therefore such things as these are not to be read in the Book of the Heavens Quest But is there no Light of Knowledg to be had from the Stars and do not the Heavens teach and declare the Lords handy-work will ye condemn all Astronomy Answ 1 Astronomy No. There is much difference between Astronomy the Lawful knowledg of the Stars and Judicial Astrology whereby men would foretel al Events I gâ—ant First Thâ—t there is a teaching Work in the Heavens The Heavens declare the Glory of the Lord and so do al thâ—â—â—â—â—â—tures yet this â—eaching is not able to convert the Sou◠〈◊〉 therefore when the Psalmist had said in Psal 19. The â—â—avens declare c. he comes to shew where the true converting teaching is to be found even in the Scriptures verse 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Secondly I grant also That the Stars are for Signs So the Word saith Gen. 1.14 Let there be Lights in the Firmament to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for daies and for yeers But how for Signs of the Weather As the Sun when it setteth with a red Skie foresheweth a fair day to follow Matth. 16.2 Yea and somtimes they import and are signs of Gods Displeasure Luke 21.25 Ordinarily they are for Signs to know when to sow and plant and prune and reap And are Signs to sail by for the Marriners at Sea Yea Thirdly I grant that the Stars have a great influence upon these Sublunary things even upon the Bodies of Men and Women Answ 2 Secondly But though the Stars have a great influence upon this neather World are signs of weather and have a teaching power with them as al other Creatures have Yet if a man shal undertake by the Stars to foretel future Events which are accidental depending on the Wils and Actions of Men he doth plainly step into the Chair of God this is Gods great Prerogative therefore saith he Esai 41.23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods Those men therefore that wil undertake to shew the things that are to come hereafter would be known to be gods But though they would be gods themselves yet why should they not let God be God stil Qui fatum ponit Deum tollit he that sets up a Fate doth destroy God and if al things come to pass by Influence of the Stars else they cannot pretend to foreknowledg of them then al things must come to pass by a Fate Yea what doth this practice otherwise than as Austin observes wel make God the Author of all the Sin in the World Malti hoc dicunt fatum mihi fecit stellae me fecerunt ita jam per circuitum ad Dâ—â—m volunt perveniâ—e per circuâ—tum vâ—lunt peâ—venire ad Deum accuâ—â—â—dum qui nolunt de câ—mpendio venire ad Dâ—um placâ—ndum â—â—dicunt fatum mihi â—ecit q id est fatâ—m stellae mei câ—â—â—â—â— quid â—unâ— stelâ—ae certe isiae quâ—s 〈◊〉 C lo peâ—spicimus et quis eâ—s feciâ— Dâ—us qui eas ordinavit Deus erâ—o vides qâ—â—d voluâ—tii dicere Deus fecit ut peccatem ita ille injustus tu justus quod iâ—si ille fâ—cillet tu non peccassâ—s tolle istas excuâ—ationes in peccatis memento illius Psalmi Ne declines cor meum in verba maligna ad excusanda peccata c. Ad haec magni viri sunt qui defendunt peccata sua magni sunt qui numerant sâ—dera Et computant stellas et tempora et dicunt quis quando Vel peccet vel bâ—ne vivat et quando Mars facit homicidium et Venus adulterium magni Docti viri videntur in hoc saculo sed quid ait Psal Ne declines cor c. Austin in Psal 31. Omne Corporale signum vel est effectus ejus cujus est signuÌ„ sicut fumus significat ignem a quo c usatur vel est cum non potest autem dici quod dispositiones Caelestium Corporum et motus sint effectus futurorum et ventuum nec possunt reduci in aliquam superâ—orem rem communem quo sit corporalis c. Aquin. 22. Quest 95. Art 5. Seductus enim ab inimico cum esset fidelis d u Mathematicus fuit seductus seducens deceptus decipicus illexit fefellit multa mendacia locutus est contra Deum qui dedit hominibus potestatem faciendi quod bonum est et non faciendi quâ—d malum est iste dicebat quod adulterium non faciebar propria voluntas sed Venus justum non faciebat Deus sed Jovis et alia multa Sacrilega non parva quam multis eum putatis Christianis nummos abstulille 〈◊〉 quam multi ab eo emerunt mendaciâ—m c Austin in Psal 71 post â—ractâ—tum cum Mathematicus in populo monstâ—aretur For if these Astrologers can foretel future things which depend on the Will of man and that by the Stars then the Stars and their Influence must be the cause thereof For as Aquinas observes If such a Constellation be a Sign of an Event then it must be the Effect of it or the Cause of it the Effect it cannot be And if the Influence of the Stars be the Cause of al sinful Actions then God must be the cause of al sin for he hath made the Star and given it such an Influence This doth so cleerly follow that Austin telling the Story of a mans converting from this wicked Art saith the man did confess that whilst he practiced that Art he with others held that Adulterium non faciâ—bat voluntas propria sed Venus A mans own will was not the cause of Adultery but the Sâ—ar Venus a mans own wil was not the cause of Murder but the Star Mars Thus saith hâ— doth this Art of Judicial Astrology lay the Sin of al the World upon God himself and it must needs do so for
the child of Grace and the mother of Grace There is a peace thâ—t arises from the apprehension of Gods common goodness which is common peace And there is a special peace that arises from the apprehension of Gods special favor and free Grace true peace is the Daughter of that Grace yet it is the Parent of inherent Grace or of Gracious actions I should rather say the Nurse Phil. 4.7 for sayes the Apostle The peace of God that passes all understanding keep or guard your minds and hearts This saving peace is a Guard unto al our Graces As falâ—e peace is a guard to our sins so true peace is a guard unto al our Graces True saving peace is such a peace as is wrought by faith Being justified by faith we have peace Rom. 15. The Lord give you peace in beleeving saies the Apostle It comes in a way of Faith true saving peace is wrought by faith False peace is such as is either born with us and was never interrupted being the offspring of nature onely or the Emanation of a natural Conscience or such as is wrought out by time time working out ones trouble True saving peace wil live in the sight of sin False peace doth not indure the light of sin A Godly man the more he doth see his sin unless he be under temptation the more peace he hath a wicked man the more he doth see his sin the less peace he hath and al his peace arises from a not sight of his sin True saving peace loves to be examined is willing to be examined it loves to be tryed But false peace cannot indure examination it flyes from the light it doth not love to be tryed True saving peace is spoken by God I wil hear what the Lord wil say Psal 85.8 for he wil speak peace saies the Psalmist When God speaks peace he speaks it to a soul under or after temptation When God speaks peace he speaks it with a strong hand giving such peace as no creature in the world is able to give When God speaks peace it is a peace beyond al expression The peace of God that passeth al understanding it cannot be uttered Now though a wicked man have peace and much peace and quiet within yet God doth not speak it for it was not spoken to him in or after temptation it was not spoken by a strong and unresistable hand it is such a peace as may be wrought by time time working off the trouble or the pleasures and contentments of the world may beget the like it is not a peace that is beyond al expression a peace beyond al understanding but a low peace which you may easily express But now as for you that are Godly that make this Objection and have this fear and scruple in your hearts I wil here appeal unto your own souls you know and remember your former trouble now ye have peace and ye have rest within I appeal to you I say whether yea or no when ye were in that trouble suppose I or another Minister or ten others of your own chusing suppose a hundred should have come to you with one promise after another had we been able to have spoken comfort to you O no if the Lord had not spoken comfort to me it had not been in the power of al the Ministers in the world to have spoken comfort unto my soul but the Lord certainly hath done it Yet I appeal to you Are you not willing to have your peace examined are you not willing to have your peace your inward peace â—ryed yes withal my soul I would have my peace tryed and truly I could not hope that my peace were right if I were not willing to have it examined Wel yet I appeal to you further And do not you find that you have peace even then when you do see your sins and the more you see your sins upon the back of Christ the more peace you have yes And do not you find this that your peace came in in a way of Beleeving from the sight of Christ laying hold on the Promise by the prospect of free Grace yes I must needs say so Had I not had a promise to stay my soul upon had I not had a view of tree Grace had I not seen the Lord Jesus I had never had any peace in my poor soul but the Lord knows that thus I attained my peace Wel then be of good comfort Man or Woman I tell thee from the Lord thy peace and quiet is right I know what the danger is of sewing pillows under mens Elbows and speaking peace where none ought to be spoken but I say if it be thus with thy soul notwithstanding al thy sins and fears from the Lord I say unto thee thy peace is right go in peace and the God of peace tread down Satan under thy feet Object But I fear that my peace my inward peace is not right because it doth not last and continue Answ The Second Doctrine answers to that Objection for the second Doctrine saith That a Godly mans peace may be interrupted Object But one thing yet troubles me and makes me fear that my peace and quiet it not good and that is because I came so lightly and slightly by it I see how it hath been and it with others of the people of God some that have been long afflicted and wounded and have lien troubled a great while and so they have had peace but as for me it is not so with me I came lightly and slightly by my peace and quiet and therefore I do even fear that the Lord never spak peace yet unto my soul Answ Doest thou say Lightly how lightly hast thou stollen thy peace or have others bought their peace for you say others have been much afflicted and troubled and had a great deal of heart-smart But I pray tel me did those who have had al this trouble did they purchase or buy their peace at the hand of Christ withal this trouble or did Christ give them that peace and comfort freely Buy it no surely they did never purchase it never buy it but Christ gave it them freely Why if Christ gave it them freely after al their troublâ— why may he not give it thee freely after less trouble I have read and so have you in the Gospel a Parable of two that came into the Vineyard to work the one in the beginning of the day who bare the heat of the day and the other at the latter end of the day and both had a penny When they were both paid he that was there at the beginning of the day murmurs saying I have been here al this day and I have born the heat of the day and I have but a penny and the other that came in at the latter end of the day hath a penny as wel as I the man that had been there working at the beginning and heat of the day he murmurs but he
their condition be John 14. vers 1. Let not your heart be troubled saith our Savior to his disciples As if he should say I am now to dy to leave you al to go to my Father and when I am gone you wil meet with many troubles but I would not have you discouraged Let not your heart be troubled But now if thou dyest we shal then lose thy presence and what greater trouble or affliction can there be than the loss of thy presence Wel saith Christ yet I would not have you troubled at heart Let not your heart be troubled But if we lose thee O Lord we shal lose al the ordinances and those many sweet opportunities of receiving good for our souls which we have injoyed by thy presence Be it so saith our savior yet I would not have you troubled at the heart Let not your heart be troubled But Lord if we lose thee we shal be as sheep scattered some wil deny thee al wil forsake thee and when the shepherd is smitten we as sheep shal be al disperst and fal into sad temptations afflictions and desertions Wel saith he however it be yet I would not have you troubled at the heart let not your heart be troubled however this is Christs mind wil and pleasure concerning his disciples And if you say how may it appear that God the father would have his people to be of the same mind and disposition never to be discouraged It appears plainly because God hath provided promises of comfort succour and relief sutable to al conditions I dare boldly challenge al men to shew me any one condition which God hath not provided a promise of comfort mercy and succor sutable unto it Yea and if you look upon the promises and mark them wel you shal find they are so laid worded and moulded as that al discouragâ—â—g objections may be fully answered and taken off as the rise For example suppose the Church of God be under perse ution of enemies Isa 54.17 No weapon that is formed aâ—â—â—i â—hâ—e shal prosper But you wil say our enemies O Lord are â—any they rise up against us and gather into bodies and conâ—â—â—â—rate against thy servants vers 15. he takes off that thus bâ—â—â—d they shal surely rather together but not by me whosoever shal gaâ—her together against thee shal fal for thy sake But O Lord they have go ten instruments of death and the whol power oâ— the Militia and Ammunition into their hands Be it so saith the Lord vers 16. Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the coles in the fire and thaâ— bringeth forth an instrument for his work and I have created the waster to destroy no weapon that is formed against thee shal prosper But O Lord they have got authority on their side and they rise against us in judgment Mark then what follows vers 17. And every tongue that shal rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn But this is a promise made unto the Jewish Church only and not to us Not so this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord vers 17. So that if you be the Servants of the Lord this promise tels you it is made to you But we are in an unbeleeving condition and are not able to lay hold on this promise Wel but saith this promise this is the heritage or the servants of the Lord Children shal have their inheritance though for the present they are not able to sue for it it falls upâ—n them in course O! but we may sin against the Lord cut our selves off from this promise this inheritance Mark then what follows and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord not only this promise is of me but the righteousness whereby they shal beleeve and lay hold on it and walk under it is of me saith the Lord. O! how Graciously is this promise laid whereby al unbeleeving objections may be taken off so it is in al the promises do but observe and mark them they are so moulded ordered worded as that every word of the promise doth hold forth a distinct answer unto your objections Now if God have so laid his promises that al unbeleeving objections may be taken off as they rise what doth this argue but that God our Father would not have his people discouraged whatever their condition be therfore they have no reason for it Answ 4 There is no matter of discouragement which the Saints do or can meet withal but there is a greater incouragement bound up therewith or comes along with it God doth never more Graciously appear to his people than when there is the greatest matter for their discouragement John lay some years in the bosom of Jesus Christ whilst Christ lived but then he had not the revelation given him Christ dies John is afflicted persecuted driven into the Isle of Patmos there an exile and there Christ appears to him and gives him that blessed book of comfort the book of the revelation We read of Jacob that at one time especially he did so see the Lord that he called the name of the place Peniel for I have seen the Lord Gen. 32.30 saith he and when was that but when Churlish Laban was on one side of him and his rough brother Esau coming out against him in an hostile way on the other side Once he had a vision of a Ladder the top whereof was in heaven and the foot on earth Angels ascending and descending upon it which in John 1. Chap. Christ interprets to be himself You shal see the Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man but when had he this vision not al the while he was in his Fathers house buâ— when he was fain to fly from the anger of his brother lay in the open field in the night and had no pillow but an hard stone to ly upon then doth Christ thus appear to him and make such a discovery and manifestation of himself as he never had before And when was it that Mr. Robert Glover was so filled with heavenly joyes that he cryed out he is come he is come ye read of him in the book of Martyrs that for five years together he was worn out consumed with fears and troubles he could neither eat nor sleep he was so afflicted in his soul upon the apprehension of some backsliding he thought he must needs be thrown down to hell when he died yea he thought saith the story of him that he could not more despair in hell yet after this long time of wrastling with this Temptation it pleased God to come in with comforts But I say when was this why then especially when he came within sight of the stake then he cryed out with clapping of his hands he is come he is come Thus doth God with whom are reserves of mercies reserve his sweetest consolations for the time of our sowrest afflictions and doth temper the one with the other in most fit proportion Yea
Gods Love in Christ some return upon you again in the day visibly some return in the night invisibly when you see them not there is a visible and there is an invisible return of Prayer What more usual with Gods People than to say and think thaâ— the Lord doth not hear their Prayer nor make return to them when indeed he doth and that visibly unto others also Luke 1. you read of Zacharias and Elizabeth that they were very righteous verse 6. They were both righteous before God And Zacharias and Elizabeth had no Children but Zacharias prayed for Children for at verse 13. the Angel said unto him Fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy Wife Elizabeth shall bear a Son and thou shalt call his name John The Lord heard his Prayer and sent an Angel to tel him his prayer was heaâ—d but Zachaâ—ias doubted thereof verse 18. Zacharias said unto the Angel Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my Wife well stricken in yeers Here he doubts and it was his sin thus to doubt as you may see by verse 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou beleevest not my words Here plainly now was a return of prayer yea here was a visible return of Prayer and yet Zacharias though a Godly and a Holy man doubâ—ed whether the Lord had heard his Prayer or no. So that I say this is no new thing with Gods own People and dearest Children to say and think somtimes That the Lord doth not answer their Pâ—ayer when the Lord indeed doth anâ—wer and thaâ— visibly too But Thirdly If the Lords not hearing granting and answering your Prayers presently be â—omtimes matter of great encouragement then it is not alwaies a matter of discouragement Now the Lords not hearing and granting your prayer preâ—eâ—tly is somtimes matter of great encouragement You have divers â—hildren at your Table some yonger and some elder some Babes and little ones some grown whâ—n you come to carve out your meat unto them you carve first to the little ones and you do noâ— carve first to the greater for say you these little ones will cry and they have not Patience to stay and thereâ—ore they shâ—â—l be first â—erved but those greater have more wiâ— and more patience and they will stay Beloved thus now it is between God and us The Lord hath two sorts of Children that come to him in Prayer and hâ— intends to serve them both but he looks upon those that are weak and serves them first as for thâ—â—â— that are strongâ—â— and have more faith and patience saith the Lord you are able to stay I see your faith and patience and therefore I wil serve the little ones first but as for you I wil serve you last Thus it was with Abraham after the Lord had made Abraham a Promise of a Seed he made him stay a great while Why Because he saw he had faith to stay So now thou hast not presently a return or answer to thy prayer Why Because the Lord it may be sees thou hast strength faith and patience to stay And is not this rather matter of encouragement than discouragement But Fourthly Who ever stayed and waited long upon God but he had more than he prayed for Either God answers your prayers presently or if he do not he will not only pay you the principal but he wil pay you forbearance money and you shal have good Security and a pledg for the principal too The desire is a pledg of the thing desired Prayer is a pledg of the thing prayed for a waiting heart is a pledg of the thing waited for and the longer you stay the more your hearts shal be weaned from the thing prayed for and the more you shal be taught to wait upon God and somtimes a waiting frame of heart is a greater mercy than the thing waited for By this means also you shal be weaned from your prayer so as not to rest on it A Child may so love the Nuâ—se as to forget the Mother and one may possibly so love Duty as to forget Christ but by Gods delaying to answer you are weaned from this Nurse and kept from resting on it Or it may be you came to Duty with too high esteem of your own performance and too low esteem of the Duty it self Hereby God teachech you to come to the Duty with high esteem of it and with low esteem of your own doing it Yea the longer you stay the more you shal be humbled and your self-despising thoughts because you cannot pray may please God more than your best prayer You see that when a man angles he throws his line into the Water and there is the hook and the bait those are heavy then there is the Cork and that is light and when the Fisher or the Angler sees that the light cork is drawn under water now the Fish bites saith he now there is hope now there is somthing coming So you go to prayer and there is somwhat heavy and weighty in your spirit but there is somthing that is of a corky and light Nature in your spirit the longer you stay the more your Cork shall be drawn under water that lightness of Spirit shal be drawn under water and so the more you shall be humble and humbled Thereby you are caught to fan your prayers There is much Chaff amongst the good Wheat of our Duties and Gods delaying time is our fanning time when the Fish doth not bite the Fisher mends his bait it may be saith he my hook is not well baited So should you do when you take nothing by prayer Gods delay cals for your amending Yea by this means you may remember how you delayed the Lord he spake often to you and it was long ere you heard him shal we think it long ere he hear us when it was so long ere we heard him it may be you have forgotten your delayes of God but by this forbearance he doth Graciously mind you thereof Yea by Gods forbearance to answer you the Lord teacheth you to forbear Gods forbearance doth teach us forbearance and is that nothing let al this be considered and you wil say indeed here is more matter of incouragement than discouragement Fiftly If you would be discouraged in case God should alwaies answer your prayer presently then you have no reason to be discouraged because he doth not answer you presently But now if the Lord should alwaies answer thy duty and prayer presently you would be discouraged why because you would say thus I look into the scripture and there I find that God doth not alwayes answer his children presently his children have prayed and then they have waited and this hath been the way that God hath taken with his children now God doth not take this way with me and therefore I fear I am none of Gods children and so you would
go to Heaven and be saved for ever What then though thou hast stayed long and hast long wanted Assurance yet God hath not led thee so far as he hath led some and thy condition is no other than that which may befal the dear servants and children of God Answ 3 But Thirdly Though for the present you do want Assurance of Gods love and of your own Salvation yet if you may conclude by Scripture Arguments that you shal have it before you die then have you no reason to be discouraged Now though this or that particular Christian in a case not ordinary do die under a cloud and with much fear and doubting about his everlasting condition yet there are Arguments in scripture whereby a man may ordinarily know and conclude that he shal have peace and Assurance before he dies For example Arg. 1 First He that is content to stay and go without a mercy if God wil have it so shal not want it for ever For the Patient abiding of the meek shal noâ— be forgotten for ever Psal 9. As the way to have affliction continued is to be discontented under it so the way to have it removed is to be contented with it There is a Faith of Expectance a Faith of Relyance and the Faith of Assurance The Faith of Expectance wil rise up into a Faith of Reliance and the Faith of Reliance to the Faith of Assurance there is seldom a may-be Faith but hath a shal-be and it is at the bottom if God would make it float Arg. 2 Secondly If the Lord hath wrought wonders for thy soul when thou wert in the wilderness and in a desert then certainly he wil bring thee into the land of rest So he dealt by David so he dealt by Israel so he wil deal by thee Arg. 3 Thirdly If thy heart be upright in the matter of thine Assurance God will certainly give Assurance unto thee Psal 84.11 for ye know what the Psalmist saith The Losd wil give Grace and Glory and no good thing wil he withold from them that walk uprightly If therefore I say thy heart hath been upright in the matter of thine assurance the Lord wil give thee assurance though for the present thou want'st it Now I pray when is a mans heart upright in the matter of his Assurance but when he doth desire Assurance of Gods love and of his own Salvation rather that he may praise and serve God the more than for his own comfort For this look in Psal 9. and see how David reasons to this purpose vers 13. 14. Have mercy upon me O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me thou that liftest me up from the gates of death That I may shew forth al thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion I wil rejoyce in thy Salvation Here are three things observable First he was in a very low condition at the gates of death From the gates of death saith he Gates of death that is the power of death The gates of Hel shal not prevail that is the powers of Hel shal not prevail so here the gates of death that is the powers of death David was under the power of death at the gates of death and now in this condition he prayes unto the Lord for mercy that the Lord would lift him up but why doth he pray so mark his end At vers 14. Have mercy upon me O Lord consider my trouble why That I may shew forth thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion O Loâ—d bring me from the gates of death that I may praise thee in the gates of the daughter of Zion not for my own comfort Lord but that I may praisâ— thee Wel but what inference doth he make of this see what followes in the latter end of vers 14. I wil or shal rejoyce in thy Salvation O Lord my heart hath been upright in this petition and now I know thou wilt grant my prayer I wil I shal rejoyce in thy Salvation Arg. 4 Fourthly When a man can praise God for what he hath although his condition be very sad God wil give him more and give him a better condition If God shew mercy saith one or give a blessing and I praise God I pay my debt but if my case be low and sad and I praise God then then God is pleased to be called my debtor and he wil certainly pay his debt Arg. 5 Fiftly If the Lord be the health of your countenance you shal have the assurance of your Salvation in due time though now you want it Thus the Psalmist reasons in the text Wait on God or hope in God for I shal yet praise him why for he is the health of my countenance but when is God said to be the health of our countenance when his smiles make us look cheerly and his frowns make us look sadly if I look wel when God smiles though al relations frown and do look il when God frowns though al my relations smile then is God the health of my countenance Now I appeal to you beloved you that do want Assurance hath it not been thus with you Do ye not earnestly desire Assurance yet are content to stay wait and go without it if God wil have it so Hath not the Lord shewn wonders for thy soul when thou hast been in a wildered condition in preserving and keeping thee from doing evil to thy self and have not you been upright in the matter of your Assurance saying thus O Lord give me Assurance of thy love not that I may have comfort only but that I may be more fit to serve thee And have ye not praised the Lord in your sad condition for what you have And hath not the Lord been the health of your countenance so that when the Lord hath smiled upon you then you have looked wel and when the Lord hath frowned upon you then you have looked il surely you cannot but say I must not deny these things I cannot be faithful to mine own soul if I should deny them yea Lord thou knowest and my soul knowes it That thou hast done wonders for me when I have been in a low desert and wildered condition And O Lord thou knowest I desire Assurance of thy love not for my own comfort onely but that I may be more sit to praise and serve thee And Lord thou knowest I have praised thee in some measure for what I have Yea Lord thou art the health of my countenance when thou smilest upon me then I look wel and when thou frownest upon me then I look ill I may say in truth the Lord is the health of my countenance wel then I say unto thee from the Lord go in peace and be of good comfort though thou doest for the present want comfort and Assurance of thy Salvation thou shalt have it in due time And if al these things be true O! you that are the people of the
himself it is the darkening of the Sun which brings an universal darkness upon the soul and it imbitters al other Afflictions for as the presence of Christ sweetens all other Comforts so the absence or forsakings of Christ do imbitter al other Sufferings and cut off al our relief and remedy against them So long as the face of God shines upon a poor soul he may run to Christ and relieve and help himself against his Affliction true my Friends forsake me my Relations forsake me but Christ hath not forsaken me but if God and Christ forsake where shal a man relieve or refresh himself in this stormy day And as those sins are greatest that cut off our relief against other sins so those Afflictions are greatest that cut off our relief against other Afflictions Such is this of al Afflictions it looks the most like a Judgment to a Gracious Soul O Lord Psal 6.1 saith David Correct me not in thine Anger nor chasten me in thy hot Displeasure When God hides his face and forsakes the soul he seems to correct in Anger and in hot displeasure herein a Christian doth as it were combat with God himself he fights with men somtimes and then he is more than a Conquerer because Christ fighteth with him and in him he fights with Satan Principalities and Powers and then he doth overcome because Christ is with him but O! saith the soul in this Desertion God is mine Enemy here I must fight it out hand to hand with Divine Anger and what shal I do now how is it possible that I should now escape The truth is this Affliction above al others seems to draw a Curtain over al our Comforts and to put an end unto al our Spiritual joy What Birds sing in the Winter time some may but ordinarily they do not If you walk abroad in the Winter time and hear no Birds sing and one say to you What is the reason of this deep silence two or three months ago when we walked in the Fields every Wood had its several Musick how sweetly did the Birds sing then but now they are al silent what is the reason You wil easily answer I then indeed it was Summer time then the Sun shone upon them and â—o they sang â—ut now the warming and enlivening beams of the Sun are gone â—hey sing no more Beloved the Light of Gods Countenance is oâ—r Spring Desertion is our Winter show me that Sainâ— that is able to sing in this Winter time I confess it is possible for a man to â—o it and some there are Habakkuk was one that learned â—his song of Faith but â—ow few are able to sing and rejoyce when God hides himself No saith the soul two or three months ago the Lord shined upon me and then I could sing indeed but now God and Christ is gone and so al my songs are gone and joyes are gone and I fear I shal never see them again or rejoyce in Christ again It is said of Mary That when she went to Christs Sepulchre she wept and though the Angel came to her and said Why weepest thou yet she continued weeping the presence of an Angel could not comfort her Why O! saith she They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him Would it not grieve a Prince to be dispossest of and to lose his Crown to be made like an ordinary man This Presence of Christ is the Crown of a Christian and therefore when God had forsaken the Church as we read in Lam. 5. she complained verse 16. The Crown is falâ—en from my Head Why ver 20. Wherefore doest thou forget us for evâ—r and forsake us so long a time Ver. 22. Thou hast utterly rejected us thou art very wroth against us Take away the presence of Christ and ye set a Christian among the ordinary rank of men and must he not needs be troubled when his Crown is thus taken from his Head I have read of a Religious Woman that having born Nine Children professed That she had rather endure all the pains of those Nine Travels at once than endure the Misery of the loss of Gods Presence And indeed this Affliction of Gods forsaking a man is so great that if a man feel it not I even fear it is because he is forsaken indeed But now though there be never so much Gal and Wormwood in this Cup yet the Children of God have no reason to faint at the drinking of it no just cause or reason yet to faint or be discouraged or cast down Quest How may that appear Answ 1 First For the cleering of this Truth to you ye must know That God or Christ is said to forsake a man either in regard of his Power Grace or Strength or in regard of the comfortable feelings of his Love either in reâ—â—rd of Union or in regard of Vision 1. In regard of Union He never forsakes his own People 2. In regard of his Power Grace and Strength he never forsakes them totally 3. And in regard of Vision or comfortable feelings though he do forsake for a time yet he wil return again and if al these be true have they any reason to be much discouraged For the first ye know what is said Those whom he loves John 13.1 he loves unto the end As for the Second ye know what he saith also I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 1 Pet. 1.5 We are kept by the Power of God unto Salvation And as for the Third hath not the Lord promised Isay 54. that he wil return again with advantage ver 7. For a smal moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness wil I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer ver 8. Now ye know that Friends are not much troubled at such a parting which is but for a time It is said of the Church of Ephesus That when Paul â—ook leave of them they wept Because he said they should see his face no more The Saints cannot say so in regard of Christ though they see not his face for the present yet they cannot say I shal see his face no more for he wil return again yea and return with advantage for though he forsakes for a moment yet with great mercy and with everlasting kindness wil the Lord have mercy on them What then though you be forsaken for a moment have you any just cause and reason for your Discouragement Answ 2 Secondly If Christ do therefore forsake his People that he may not forsake them and hath a design of Love and nothing but of Love upon them in his forsaking then have they no just cause for their Discouragements Now I pray What is the reason why God doth forsake his People for a time or a moment hath he any deâ—â—gn but Love upon them Doth he
to suffer saith the Apostle It was the Speech of a good man now in Heaven being once under great Afflictions O Lord these Afflictions are thy Pearls and I wil wear them for thy sake 3. They are but seeeming Evils They are real Tryals and seeming Evils Therfore the Apostle saith Every Affliction seems grievous but considering altogether it is rather a Seeming than a real grief and therefore saith he 2 Cor. 6.9 10. We are as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we hee as chastened and not killed as sorrowful yet alwaies rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things In which words as Austin observes he puts a tanquâ—m sicut AS upon his Afflictions as if his Sufferings were but as Afflictions and not Afflictions When a man takes any Physick he is sick withal yet because it is but Physick-sickness you do not call it a sickness it is as a sickness but not a sickness Now all the Afflictions of the Saints are but their Physick prescribed and given them by the hand of their Father and therefore though they be sick therewith yet it is but as a sickness not so indeed al things rightly weighed When an unskilful Eye looks upon the threshing of the Corn he saith Why do they spoil the Corn But those that know better say The Flail doth not hurt the Corn if the Cart-wheel should pass upon it there would be spoil indeed but the Flail hurts not Now there is no Affliction or suffering that a Godly man meets with but is Gods Flail And if you look into Isay 28. ye shal find the Lord promiseth under a similitude that his Cart-wheel shal not pass upon those that are weak ver 27. For the Fitches are not threshed with a threshing Instrument neither is a Cart-wheel turned about upon the Cummin the Fitches are beaten out with a staff and the Cummin with the Rod God wil alwaies proportion his Rod to our strength But though mine Affliction be not greater than I can bear yet if it lie too long upon me say some I shall never be able to bear it Nay saith the Lord ver 28. Bread-Corn is bruised because he will not ever be threshing it But what is this to us Yes it is a Parable for ver 26. His God speaking of the Plow-man doth instruct him to discretion and doth teach him And if the Plow-man have this discretion much more shal the Lord himself for verse 29. This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in working I am Gods Corn said the Martyr I must therfore pass under the Flail through the Fan under the Mil-stone into the Oven before I can be bread for him And if our Chaff be severed from our Graces by this Flail have we any reason to be discouraged because we are thus afflicted The truth is the day of Affliction and Tribulation is a godly mans Day of Judgment it is at his Judgment Day he shal never be judged again so as to be condemned at the Day of Judgment Ye are judged with the world saith the Apostle that ye may not be condemned with the world And when the Godly mans Affliction-Day is he may say Now is my Judgment-Day and I shal never be judged again why therefore should he be discouraged whatever his Afflictions be And in the Second place This wil appear also if you consider Whence their Afflictions come If al the Sufferings of Gods People do come from Divine Love the Love of God in Christ to them then have they no reason to be discouraged though they be much afflicted every Rod is a Rod of Rosemary to them fruits of their Fathers Love and if you look into Heb. 12. ye shal find both the thing proved and the Inference The thing is proved at ver 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Which he illustrates by a similitude Suppose a man have two Sons one a Bastard and the other Legitimate he wil rather give Education and Correction to the Legitimate Son and neglect the Bastard and saith the Apostle verse 8. If ye be without Chastisement then are ye Bastards and not Sons What then verse 12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees As if the Apostle should say If al the Sufferings and Afflictions and Chastisements of the Saints do proceed from Love then have they no reason to hang down their hands or heads But so it is That all their Sufferings come from Love and therefore no reason for their Discouragements Thirdly This wil appear also if you consider What comes with the Afflictions of the Saints There comes much supporting Grace much Light much of Gods Presence Fëllowship and and Communion with Christ in al his Sufferings Much supporting Grace Thy Rod and thy Staff comforts me God never laies a Rod upon his Childrens back but he first puts a Staff into their hand to bear it and the staff is as big as the Rod it matters not what your Afflictions be great or smal it is al one you shal be upheld and upholding mercy is somtimes better Via Crucis via Lucis than a mercy that you are afflicted for the want of But the Lord doth not only uphold his People under Sufferings but he gives forth much Light therewithal The School of the Cross is the School of Light Affliction is our Free-School where God teacheth his Children and learns them how to write both their Sins and their Graces Their sins So long as Leaves are on the Trees and Bushes ye cannot see the Birds Nests But in the Winter when al the Leaves are off then ye see them plainly And so long as men are in Prosperity and have their Leaves on they do not see what Nests of sins and lusts are in their hearts and lives but when all their Leaves are off in the day of their Afflictions then they see them and say I did not think I had had such Nests of sins and lusts in my soul and life Job 36.7 He withdraweth not his Eye from the Righteous Verse 8. And if he be bound in Fetters and be holden in Cords of Affliction then he shows them their works and their trangressions that they have exceeded Yea Affliction do not only discover their sins unto them but it is Gods Plaister thereby he doth heal the same Before I was afflicted I went astray saith David And Job 36.10 He openeth also their Ear to Discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity Yea these Afflictions and Sufferings of the Saints do not only discover and heal their sins but do put them upon the exercise of Grace In their Afflictions saith God they will seek me early Yea they do not only draw out their Graces but discover their Graces too which possibly they did never take notice of before I have read of some foolish Youths that
a fault and a man takes the one and correct him and let the other go it argues rather that he is his Father than not So though Chastisements do not alwaies argue God to be our Father yet it doth rather argue his Fatherly Love than not Answ 2 And is there any thing in God that is not a friend to all the Saints When a man is a friend to another not only his Purse is his Friend his Estate is his Friend his Staff is his Friend but his Sword is his Friend So if God be a Friend to a man then not only his Love is his Friend and his Mercy his Friend but his Sword is his Friend his Anger is his Friend Now God is a Friend to all the Saints and therefore his very Anger and Justice is a Friend too But Answ 3 In the third place What are those visible Characters of Love which are engraven upon an Affliction First If Affliction be a blessing to one then it doth come from Love and if a man can bless God under Affliction then it is a blessing to him Jobs Affliction was a blessing to him Why Because he blessed God under it The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be his Name c. Secondly If an Affliction do end in our Love to God then it comes from Gods Love to us for our Love is but a reflection of Gods Love and it doth flow from his and if I can say I love God never the worser for this Affliction then I may say God loves me never the lesser notwithstanding this Affliction Thirdly If an Affliction teacheth the mind of God then it doth come from Love As many as he loveth he chastiseth And blessed is the man whom thou chastiseth and teachest out of thy Law So that if Affliction be a teaching Affliction then it doth come from Love Fourthly If it be laid on in measure and imposed in due and seasonable time so as a man may grow thereby then it doth come from Love When a man intendeth to kill and destroy a Tree or to bring it unto the fire he cuts it at any time so as it shal grow no more but if he cut it in a due time it argueth that he intendeth it for growth So when God pruneth and cuts by Afflictions in such a time as men may grow in Grace it argues his Love Fifthly When God is especially present in Affliction and more present in an Affliction than at another time it argues that the Affliction doth come from Love Now whoever you are that make this Objection and fear the Affliction doth not come from Love are you not able to say Thus I find it indeed though I have been much afflicted yet through Grace I have bâ—en able to bless the Lord under my Affliction and to say The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away c. I love the Lord never the lesser for mine Affliction and the Lord hath taught me much in this mine Affliction I have gained more by my sickness than by many a Sermon yea and he hath cut me in due time for if I had not met with such an Affliction at such a time I did not know what evil I should have fallen into and this I must needs say I have had more of Gods Presence in my Affliction than ever I had before Well then be of good Comfort though your Affliction be very grievous yet it doth come from Love And thus it is with all the Saints and People of God and therefore why should they be discouraged whatever their Affliction be Object 8 But though a Christian have no reason to be discouraged in regard of his own private Affliction yet hath he not reason to be discouraged when it goes ill with the Publick And thus it is now with us we see how it is with this poor Nation Troubles and Calamities from every Part therefore I am thus discouraged and have I not cause to be cast down and to be much disquieted now Answ Indeed this is a sad thing and O! that we could weep day and night and pray too for this poor bleeding Nation If ever Gods People here in England had cause to be afflicted troubled and humbled under the hand of the Lord and to run together in Prayer surely they have reason now yet saith the Scripture Say to the Righteous in evil times it shall go well with him Did ever any Calamity come down like a storm upon a Kingdom but God did provide some hiding for his own Children Did he not provide an Ark for Noah in the time of the Flood and a Mountain for Lot in the time of the fire of Sodom The worst that man can do is but to kill his neighbor Death is the worst that can fall and what is death but an in-let to Eternal Life unto the People of God When the Saints in the Primitive Times came to bear witness by their deaths unto the Truth of Christ then they said Now we begin to be Christians indeed now we begin to be like to Christ There is a Three-fold Death Spiritual Death in sin Eternal Death for sin And Temporal Death which came in by sin If God spare me from the two former Deaths the Spirituâ—l Death and Eternal Death and only inflict the Temporal Death have I any cause to complain Thus it is with the Saints though they die Temporally yet they are free from the Spiritual and Eternal Death and what Godly man may not say I could not live long in Nature and shall I now bear witness unto the Truth with this little spot of time that remains Christ died for us the Just for the Unjust and shal not I that am unjust be willing to die for the just The worst of all is Death the worst of Death is gain When my Body is broken may I not say if Godly now a poor Pitcher is broken and shall go no more to the Well now a poor Prisoner my soul is delivered and I go home unto my Father But if you look into Rev. 7. you shal â—ind what a glorious issue God doth give unto al his People in the times of publick troubles ver 9. After this I beheld and so a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations Kindreds and People stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their hands A Robe is a Garment of Majesty Palms are an Ensign of Victory and saith he I saw them with Robes and Palmâ— The world looks upon my Servants as poor and of low spirits but saith Christ I look upon them as under a royal Princely Garment in Robes and of a Princely spirit And though the world look upon them as discomforted yet saith Christ here they shal overcome for they have Palms in their hands but who are these This Scripture tels ver 14. These are they which come out of great Tribulations and have washed their Robes and made them
difficulties then have you no reason to question your Call in regard of Difficulties Now I pray tel me when Moses went to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt had not he a cleer Call for that yet what abundance of difficulties did he meet with in his way to â—t And when the Jews came out of Babylon did they not meet with many Difficulties Some at their coming out some in their way some at the building of the Temple yet had they not a Call and a cleer Call thereunto Without al doubt they had Surely then you mâ—y have a Call and a cleer Call to your Work and Service yet you may meet with many difficulâ—ies in your way and therefore have no reason to be discouraged in this respect Object 5 But I am not troubled afflicted or discouraged in regard of my Call for I am perswaded that God hath called me to his work and Service But I am most unserviceable I do not do that work and Service which I am called unto I lie like a dry log or chip in the family and place where I live O! I am most unserviceable and therefore I am thus discouraged Answ That 's ill indeed for every good and gracious man is a serviceable man more or less he is serviceable in his Place and Condition Onesimus before converted was unprofitable but being converted now profitable saies the Apostle A good man in Scripture is compared to those things that are most profitable Is the wicked compared to the green Bay-tree which doth bring forth no Fruit the gâ—dly is compared to the Olive Tree which is all profitable the Fruit profitable the Leaves Bark and the Tree profitable Is a wicked man compared to the Goat a good man is compared to the Sheep and what is in a Sheep not profitable its Flesh is profitable its Wool profitable its Skin is profitable yea it s very dung is profitable and such a Sheep was Paul nothing in Paul not profitable and serviceable will ye instance in his Jewish and Natural Priviledges he makes use of them Phil. 3. to advance the righteousness and knowledg of Christ yea All these saies he I count as dung and dross in regard of Christ Wil ye instance in his Conversion to Christ he doth make use of that to convert others and to establish others Acts 17.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aratus 1 Cor. 15.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menander 1 Tit. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epimenides by frequent telling the story of it to others Wil ye instance in his Parts Gifts and Learning he makes use of his Hebrew somtimes somtimes of his knowledg in the Heathen Poets somtimes of his knowledg in the Roman Customs Wil ye instance in his friendship acquaintance and interest in men thâ—t he makes use of wiâ—h Philemon from Christ in the case of Onesimus Will ye instance in his Afflictions he doth make use of them to perswade his People to their Duty I Paul a Prisoner of Christ do beseech you c. Will ye instance in his Temptations he doth make use of them and tels the Corinths how he was buffered by Satan Wil ye instance in his Sins he doth improve them also for the Advancement of Gods Grace I was a Blasphemer c. saith he but I obtained mercy Thus ye see there was nothing in Paul not profitable he was all over serviceable and profitable and if ye be one of these Sheep you will be serviceable and profitable in your Place and Condition more or less I remember the Speech of a Martyr when he came to die and to be burnt for Christ O! said he Thus long have I grown in the Orchard of Christ and have born some Fruit though not much yet some and now that I grow old and dry and can bear Fruit no longer shal I be taken and thrown into the Chimney to make a fire for the warming of others what a great mercy and blessing is this Ye know what Solomon saith Whatever thou findest in thine hand to do do it with all thy might and what Jeremiah saiâ—h Cursed is he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently Art thou therefore unprofitable unserviceable then have you cause to be humbled Yet even in this respect you are not to be cast down or discouraged For Either you are unserviceable because you want abilâ—â—â—es or because ye want wil and heart thereunto If you say yoâ—â—â—t Abilities I have spoken to that already If you say you are unwilling and do want heart thereunto then why do you thus complain He that complains of his own unserviceableness is noâ— unwilling to serve the Lord But you complain and say O! I am most unserviceable therefore you are willing and have an heart to serve and if you can speak in truth with Samuel and say Speak Lord for thy Servant is ready to obey then you are not unwilling to serve the Lord. Now cannot you say thus in truth Yes through Grace I am able to say Speak Lord for thy Servant is ready to obey Surely then you are not unwilling this your unserviceableness doth not arise only from your unwillingnes and want of heart and therefore you have no just reason to be discouraged in this respect Object 6 But this is not the matter which doth pinch with me for according to my poor Abilities I have labored and have been truly willing to serve the Lord in my Generation but I labor work and take pains and all in vain I labor and have no success in my labor I work and have no success in work I serve and have no success in my Service and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No For possibly you may be mistaken in the matter of success you may have good and great success and not know thereof There is a time when the Seed doth lie dead under the clods and saith our Savior Vnless the Seed dies it abides alone Should the Husband-man complain in this time that he hath no success in his sowing If the Devil do oppose by the World without and assault you with Temptations within it argues that there is good success though you know it not Now don't the World oppose you and don 't the Devil assault you with Temptations discouraging you for want of success Yes that he doth then there is some good success though for the present it be hidden from your Eyes This is a certain sign said Luther to Spalatinus That your Work is neither ungrateful to God nor unprofitable to the Church in that you are troubled with these Temptations for if it were unpleasing to God you would rather long after it as they do that run before they be sent Whereas Satan when he finds such as are truly sent by God and pleasing to him he makes them a weary of their work by these and the like Temptations Answ 2 And if Gods own dearest Children have somtimes labored or
therein A LIFTING UP In case of Discouragements DRAWN From the Condition it self Sermon XII PSALM 42.11 Stepney June 18. 1648. Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me c. Instance 9 SOmetimes the Discouragements of Gods People are drawn from their Condition the Condition it self O! saith one My Condition is exceeding sad both for Soul and Body there is no Condition that is like to mine my Affliction and my Condition are twisted and woven in together my Affliction Misery and my Calamity are seated in my very Condition they do not only grow upon my Condition but are in the Condition it self and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason for it Answ 1 No I wil grant and must confess it 's possible that a Godly mans condition in regard of outwards may be very bad Cum bene sit malis et male bonis when it goes wel with those that are bad and ill with those that are good I am strongly solicited to beleeve there is no God said the Heathen but we have learned better Divinity than this A mans Condition may be very bad and yet the man himself may be very good and God may be good to him Yea Answ 2 It 's possible that a godly mans Condition in regard of the world may be worser than the Condition of a wicked man for what else is the meaning of the Parable of Dives and Lazarus Jacob was driven out of his Fathers house and lodged in the open fields in the night whilst wicked Esau prophane Esau staid at home and lay in his warm bed ye do not read that ever Esau did serve so hard a Service in Labans house as Jacob did nor are ye able to parallel Esau's misery with Jacob's yet saith the Lord Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated So that it is possible for a good and godly mans Condition in regard of the world to be worser than the condition of the wicked Yea Answ 3 It is possible that a godly mans Condition may be worser in regard of outwards after his Conversion worser I say than before his Conversion Grace is fain somtimes to wear Sins Cloaths and a gracious man somtimes doth wear the punishment of that sin which he committed before his Conversion What think you of Paul do you read that ever Paul before his Conversion was put into the stocks that he was whipped up and down the streets like a Rogue that he was imprisoned that he was stoned by his Country-men But after his Conversion he was so used In the beginning of that 19. Chapter of the Acts he breatheth out threatenings against the Saints and goes out to kill the People of God but no sooner is Paul converted but the Jews sought to kill him So that I say possâ—bly a gracious mans Condition in regard of outwards may be worser at least for a time than it was before he was converted and drawn to God But now Take a godly mans Condition and though it be never so sad yet there is no reason why he should be discouraged or cast down because of his Condition in it self considered For By way of Demonstration First If his Condition be carved out unto him by the hand of his Father who is of infinite wisdom and love then he hath no reason to complain or to be disquieted Now look into Psal 16. see what David saith of Christ and Christ of the Saints at verse 6. My lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place yea I have a fair Heritage or a goodly Heritage Why verse 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup. Three Things are most considerable here First These words are plainly spoken of our Lord and Savior Christ and of his great Sufferings as appears by verse 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see Corruption Men and Brethren saith the Apostle in Acts 2.29 Let me speak unto you of the Patriark David that he is both dead and buried and his Sepulchre is with us unto this day therefore being a Prophet and God had sworn unto him that of the fruit of his Loyns according to the Flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ At verse 27. of the 2d chapter ye have the same words that you have here in Psal 16. Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption So that plainly the words of the Psalm are spoken of Christ and of his great Sufferings But now in the Second place Though his Sufferings were very great and many yet saith he My lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place and I have a goodly Heritage But why so The Reason is in the Third place in verse 5. The Lord is the portion of my Inheritance and of my Cup the Lord my Father saith he hath drawn out my lines for me he hath measured out my condition and the Lord himself is my portion and the portion of mine Inheritance Thus now may every godly man say My lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly Heritage Why for the Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance and of my Cup Surely therefore he hath no reason to be discouraged whatever his Condition be Again Secondly If a man do not live upon his Condition it self but upon his call into his Condition then he hath no reason to be discouraged in regard of his Condition it self Now as our Lord and Savior Christ said Man lives not by Bread but by every Word of God so say I Man lives not upon his Condition but upon Gods Call into his Condition and if God cal a man into a Condition he wil maintain him in it therefore you find those two go together in Psal 16. Thou maintainest my Lot at the latter end of verse 5. And my lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place And thus it was with the Children of Israel when they went through the red Sea it is said The Waters stood like a wall on each side of them ye never read before of a wall of water and yet then the waters were as a wall unto them a strange kind of Wall made of Waters but saith the Text The Waters were as a Wall stood as a Wall on each side of them Beloved Gods Call is our Wall which wil bear off and bear up ones heart under troubles and discouragements O! â—aith a gracious soul what abundance of opposition do I meet withal in my Condition but yet the Lord hath called me into this Condition and therefore I am quiet I am contented I am satisfied I confess I did not think to have met with so much Affliction in my Condition as now I do but God hath called me into it and therefore I have Comfort Thus it
is in the plural number Elohim and so when the Prophet in Isa 26. doth exhort unto Trusting in the Lord he gives this reason at verse 4. For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength so you read it but according to the Hebrew thus Trust in the Lord for ever for in Jehovah jah is everlasting strength For in Jehovah jah Jah is an abridgment or an abreviation of Jehovah noting the Son of God and so when Jesus Christ comes in the latter end of the world to sit upon his glorious Throne the converting Jew shal praise him under that name singing as you read in Revel 19. Halelujah praise the Jah which if you compare with Psalm 68. you shal find is to be understood of Christ at verse 4. Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rides upon the Heavens by his Name Jah rejoyce before him extol him that rideth upon the Heavens by his Name Jah and they shal sing Hallelujah Now if you look into the 18. verse of that Psalm you shal find the reason why this Jah is to be praised for saith the Psalm Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity captive thou hast received Gifts for men Which words Ephes 4. are applied to Christ But unto every one of us is given according to the measure of the Gift of Christ verse 8. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men So that when the Prophet doth exhort us to trust in Jehovah Jah he exhorteth us to trust in the Lord in Christ and therefore I say both according to the old and new Testament Faith is the repose or recumbency of the soul upon God in Christ But yet that is not all A man that doth repose upon God in Christ trusting in him doth trust unto him for some good thing that lies out of sight and therefore the Apostle saith That Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. where he gives divers Instances of Abraham Sarah Moses and others who all did repose upon God for somwhat that lay out of view and this indeed is only worthy of the name of Faith I will trust a man that is most unworthy I will trust a Thief I will trust a Lyer so far as I can see him But as Parisiensis saith well this is Fides Deo digna Faith worthy of God to repose on God for somwhat that lies out of sight and out of view and when a man doth thus stay himself upon God in Christ for somwhat that lies out of sight then he is said to trust in God and when a man doth continue thus then he is said for to wait on God This is the First But then Quest 2 Secondly How may it appear that Faith and the exercise thereof will quiet the soul suppress or allay Discouragements Answ You know how it was with Hannah when she had received a word from God She went away saith the Text and looked no more sorrowful her heart was quieted Why she had a word from God and though before she was a woman of a sorrowful Spirit yet having received a word from God and beleeving that word her heart was quiet Prov. 16.3 Commit thy Works unto the Lord there is Faith and thy thoughts shall be established there is Quietude And if you look again into Isa 26. you shal find that the Scripture is most expresâ— for this verse 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid on thee because he trusteth in thee Mark the words First The Lord doth here engage himself to give peace unto those that do stay upon him that have this Faith of Relyance though they have not yet attained to the Faith of Assurance to be able to say I know my sin is pardoned and that Christ is mine yet if they can but stay themselves upon God the Lord doth hereby engage himself to give peace unto them yea he doth noâ— only engage himself to give peace unto such a soul as staies himself upon God but double Peace you read it in your English perfect Peace thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace but in the Hebrew it is Peace Peace thou wilt keep him in double Peace he shall have Peace and Peace not Peace and Doubting not Peace and no Peace but if he stay himself upon the Lord he shall have Peace Peace he shall have double Peace Yea the Lord doth not only engage to give Peace unto such a soul but to keep him in Peace Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace or in Peace Peace and all upon this account Because he trusteth in thee not because he prayed not because he humbled hiâ—self though that is his Duty and he doth thereby placere Deo though not placare Deum but because he trusteth in thee because he stayeth himself upon thee And ye know that if ye have a business depending at Law though for the present you be much troubled about it yet if you have a Friend a Lawyer that is able faithful and willing to look to it if you can but leave your business with him it doth very much quiet your heart the very leaving your business with him doth quiet your mind So here If a man can but leave his business and his Cause and his Things with God then he is at rest and he may say Return unto thy rest O my soul as David did which is done by Faith And to cleer this a little Three or Four things there are that do ordinarily cause disquietude or discouragement First The darkness that is in the Understanding for when a man is in the dark especially if he be alone he is very apt to be skared and to be disquieted Secondly Inordinate and unruly Affections and Passions especially that of Fear whereby the soul is benighted Thirdly Guilt of Conscience Though there be much water that doth beat upon the Ship at Sea yet it sinketh not but when there is a leak a hole in the Ship then the Ship sinketh and the water doth become its grave So though there be many troubles that beat upon a man yet his heart doth not sink but when there is a leak in his Conscience when there is a hole there when a man hath a guilty Conscience then he sinketh and his heart fails him And Fourthly The apprehension of Gods Greatness with our distance from him Now Faith cures all this for in opposition to the first of Darkness Faith brings Light into the soul and shews a man his Way and his Warrant for what he doth Secondly It doth pare and take off those inordinate and unruly affections and passions that are in the soul and therefore in Psalm 37. at ver 1. and 7. you shal find that fretting and trusting are set in opposition Fret not thy self because of the evil Doer verse 3. but trust in the Lord. And again verse 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy self
not spent al my mercy upon David or upon Abraham or upon Paul or upon Peter but I keep mercy for thousands O! but yet my sins do recoyl I am the greatest Sinner in the world for I have sinned al kinds of sin I have sinned al sorts of sins and therefore I fear there 〈◊〉 no hope for me Yet saith the Lord be not discouraged for I keep mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin even all sorts and al kinds of sins the Sin of Nature and the Sin of Life the Sin of Weakness and the Sin of Presumption the Sin of Ignorance and the Sin against Knowledg these saith the Lord I forgive even al sorts and al kinds of Sins and this is my Name for ever O! but I am afraid to lay hold upon this Promise for I think this is a Doctrine of Liberty Say not so saith the Lord at the next verse I will by no means cleer the guilty But if there be ever a poor drooping fearing trembling soul that desires to know my Name Lo saith the Lord here is my Name whereby I wil be known for ever The Lord Jehovah that gives a Being to things that are not The Mighty God The Merciful God The Gracious God Abundant in Goodness and in Truth Reserving Mercy for thousands Forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and this is my Name for ever Now Faith comes and closeth with this Name of God leading the Soul into this rich Wardrop and so doth quiet the heart against all Discouragements Answ 3 Thirdly Faith doth put the Soul under Gods Commandement and leaveth God to Answer unto al such Objections and Inconveniences as may come thereby which if a man can do he may be very quiet Now true saving Faith wil enable him to do this for ye know how it was with the three Children Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they put themselves under Gods Commandement The Lord commanded and said Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image Well but the King commands them to fal down before his Image No say they we wil not stir we wil not bow but saith the King I wil make you bow or I wil heat the Furnace seven times hotter for you Well be it so say they as for that we are not solicitous we wil do the work that God hath set us to do we wil put our selves under Gods Command we know that our God is able to deliver us and whether he wil deliver us or no we wil leave that to him let him answer to the inconveniencies and mischiefs that follow upon his Work for saith the Text They trusted in the Lord. And so you know it was with Noah Noah was commanded to build an Ark for saith the Lord yet an hundred twenty yeers and the whol world shal be destroyed and therefore Noah build thou an Ark for thy self and thy family which Noah did and put himself under this Command But now the world the old world might speak thus as certainly the language of their Conversation was Noah Dost thou think that thou art the only man in al the world that God loves Dost thou think Noah that God loves thee one man more than al the men or the world and thy one Family more than al the Families in the world beside And if thou dost beleeve what thou preachest That the World shal be destroyed by Water in an hundred and twenty yeers why dost thou marry and begeâ— Châ—ldren as thou hast done since thou hast preached this Doctrine And Noah if thou dost make an Ark or a Ship who shal be the Pilate who shal be the Mâ—â—riner the Sâ—â—ler As for thy self thou hast been a Preacher and dost thou think that thou and thy few Sons are able to guide and gâ—vern so great a Vessel If it be as thou preacheâ—t That the â—easts the wild Beasts of the Field shal come unto this Ark the Lyon and the Bear and the Tyger wil they not tear thee to pieces And if all the Beasts of the field two by two shal come into the Ark Noah wil there not be such a stench in the Ark with their dung as wil poyson thee shalt thou be ever able to live thinkest thou Wel for al this Noah goes on and he built the Ark and leaves God that â—et him on work to answer to al these Objections and to all those Inconveniences that might come by the doing the thing which God commands And so doth Faith alwaies Faith puts a man under the Commandement of God and leaves God to answer to those Oâ—jections and inconveniences that may come thereby Now when a man can do thus must he not needs be quiet It is to speak more briefly the proper wâ—rk of Faith to resign and give up our wils unto God for by the resignation of the wil unto God we do trust God with our selves and Conditions It is the proper work of Faith to fal with a suitable Promise and to apply the same if that Plaister of the Promise be noâ— laid on the Soul with a warm hand it wil not stick And what is the reason that the Promise sticks not upon many souls but because it is laid on with the cold and chil hand of Unbelief Now the hand of Faith is a warm hand It 's the proper work of Faith to trade with the Call of God for true saving Faith is a venturing Grace but without a Call it wil not venture It is the proper work of Faith to see the hand of God in every Dispensation The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away saith Faith I was dumb and opened not my mouth for thou Lord hast done it saith Faith It 's the proper work of Faiâ—h to look on both sides of Gods Dispensation and of our own Condition there is a dark side of a Dispensation and there is a light side thereof Sence and Reason looks on the dark side alone Faith seeth both sides Come my beloved Brethren said Laâ—imer to his fellow Prisoners when he went to the Stake though we pass through he fire to day yet we shal light such a Candle in England as shal never be put out again He saw both sides of the Dispensation why but because he beleeved It is the proper work of Faith to see one Contrary in another for it speaks and concludes as the Word of Faith doth Now the word oâ— Faith speaketh on this wise I will give you a door of Hope in the Valley of Achor And the Lord shall judg his People and repent towards his Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and none shut up or left Deut. 32.36 It is the proper work of Faith to engage God to succor Psal 37.40 For the Lord shall save them because they trust in him So Esai 26.3 Thou will keep them in perfect peace because they trust in thee Now when a man can do al these things wil he not be quiet and free from Discouragements Surely he wil.
King said It 's a vain thing to wait on God any longer but the Prophet in the next words saith To morrow about this time shall a measure of sine flower be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the Gates of Samaria Chap. 7. verse 1. So that deliverance doth somtimes come when men give over waiting And if deliverance do thus come to you what shame and grief wil this be to you how wil you befool your self and say O! what a fool was I that I could not wait a little longer I have given over waiting and lo now deliverance is come and I have no comfort in it When you give over waiting then you lose al your former labors though you have performed many Duties yet if you do not wait upon God therein you do lose al your prayers It 's said of Saul 1 Sam. 28.6 That he enquired of the Lord who answered him not and so he sought unto a woman that had a Familiar Spirit ver 7. yet 1 Chron. 10.14 it 's said That he enquired not of the Lord He enquired and he enquired not how doth this agree Wel for though he did enquire of the Lord yet because he did not wait upon God therein but gave over waiting his enquiring in Scripture Phrase is said to be no eâ—quiring Prayer without waiâ—ing in Scripture Phrase is no Prayer Look when a man doth give over waiting then d th he lo e al his labor his former Prayer is noâ—hing his former Duty noâ—hing it shal not once be remembred or imputed to him On the other side If you wait on God he wil not alway forget your work of Faith though he may seem to forget you yet the patient abiding of the meek shall not be forgotten for ever Psal 9.18 God wil come and visit you in due time He that doth come wil come and will not tarry yea and your very waiting that I may speak with reverence wil make him come the sooner 'T is not so with men if you expect a friend you do go forth to meet him but 't is not your expecting waiting that wil make him come But so it is with God your very expecting of him and waiting for him wil make him come and therefore the holy men in Scripture use this Argument with God for mercy Let me not be ashamed for I have waited on thee yea and if God do come he wil come with a recompence and pay you al your forbearance-Money Es 35. yea and when he doth come you shal be able to triumph in his appearing and say Lo this is our God we have waited for him if you have not waited you cannot triumph in his appearance but if you wait you shal say when he comes Lo this is my God and I have waited for him yea the Lord wil not only câ—me buâ— he wil come with a blessing for Blessed are all those that wait on him yea he wil not only bless you upon your waiting but he wil strengthen you therein Esai 40. Those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength O! what a blessed thing is it then for to wait on God who would not hope trust wait on the Lord Is there any thing to be gotten by your sad Discouragements O ye of little Faith Are you able to alter one hair of your Condition by al your thoughtfulness Is it not much better now for to wait on God Why then do you not call your own heart aside and say Come O my soul Why hast thou limited the Holy One of Israel thus long Why hast thou dishonored Christ thus long by thy vain fears Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope trust wait on God for he is the health of my Countenance and my God And thus now I have done with this great Argument ye have had the Patience to hear it Isa 35.4 the Lord give you Grace to practice it I conclude all with the words of my Commission Ye that are of a fearful spirit be strong fear not behold your God will come even God with a recompence he will come and save you OF THE SIN Against the HOLY GHOST Wherein is shewed I. What this Sin against the Holy Ghost is II. How and in what respect this Sin against the Holy Ghost is above all other Sins the Vnpardonable Sin By William Bridge of Yarmouth LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. OF THE SIN Against the HOLY GHOST Matthew 12.31 32. Preached At Stepney Decemb. 29. 1650. VVherefore I say unto you All manner of sin and blasphemy shal be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man shall be forgiven but whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come HERE are two great Arguments laid before you in these words First The largeness of Gods heart in forgiving sins unto the Children of men Every sin All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men Secondly You have here the unpardonableness of the Sin against the Holy Ghost But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men I would rather chuse to speak unto the former Argument but if I should do so at the first possibly some poor soul would say Though Gods heart be very large in forgiving sins yet there is one sin that shal never be forgiven the Sin against the Holy Ghost and I fear I have committed that That I may therefore take away this Obstruction and make your way plain and easie to the forgiving mercy of the Lord I shal at this timâ—â—eak unto the last of these two Arguments But the blaspheâ—â—â—â—â—ainst the Holy Ghost shal not be forgiven Whosoever speaâ—â—â— against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come For the opening of which words two Questions must be answered Quest 1 The First is Whether these Jews that our Savior spake these words unto did then sin against the Holy Ghost Answ Some think No. But I rather conceive That these Pharisees did sin this Sin against the Holy Ghost for if you look into the 3d Chapter of Mark ye shal find that our Lord and Savior spake this because of some words that they had spoken against him he had cast out Devils and they said He â—ast out Devils by the Prince of Devils verse 22. Whereupon our Savior reasoned with them and at last he saith 〈◊〉 verse â—8 Verily I say unto you All sins shall be forgiven unto the Sons of men and blasphemies Verse 29. But he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost shal never be forgiven And the reason
to present himself to me as an Angel of Light so he would represent Christ as an Angel of Darkness But is this true That the Lord wil not cast me off for my sins of Infirmity then will I never beleeve that my dear Savior is an hard Master If the Lord Christ wil not cast me off for my Sins of Infirmity then through the Grace of God I wil not question my Spiritual Estate and Condition for every Sin I wil grieve for every Sin of Infirmity because it is a Sin but I wil not question my Condition because it is but a Sin of Infirmity Then wil not I cast off my self and others for the Sins of Infirmities Shal Christs Eye be good and shal my Eye be bad Wil not Christ cast me off for mine Infirmities and shal I cast off others for their Infirmities God forbid Then wil not I cast off the things of Christ because of any infirmity that may adhere to them or the Dispensation of them When Christ took our Nature on him his Deity was vailed under our Humanity his Excellency under our Infirmity So now his Grace and his Dispensations are vailed under the Infirmity of our Administrations As for Example Preaching is an Ordinance of Christ yet the Sermon may be so delivered with so much weaknes of the Speaker that the Ordinance of Christ may be vailed under much Infirmity So the Admonition of a fallen Brother is an Ordinance of Christ yet it may be so administred with so much passion in the Speaker that this Ordinance may be vailed under much Infirmity Scarcely any Ordinance but is vailed under some Infirmity in regard of its Administration But is this true That the Lord wil not cast me away because of mine Infirmities Surely then I wil never cast away the Ordinances or things of Christ because of those Infirmities which may adhere or cleave unto them And if the Lord wil not cast me off for my Infirmities then through Grace I wil nâ—ver be discouraged from the performance of any Duty I wil pray as I can and hear as I can and though I be not able to pray as I would I wil pray as I am able and though I am not able to examine mine own heart as I would yet I will do what I am able for the Lord wil not cast me off for Infirmities and therefore I wil not cast off my Duties because of them And lastly If the Lord Jesus Christ wil not cast me off for mine Infirmities then wil I never sin because the sin is but a Sin of infirmity Wil the Lord pardon my Sin because it is but an Infirmity and shal I commit Sin upon that ground because it is but an infirmity then shal I walk contrary to God then shall I turn the Grace of God into wantonness Surely therefore I will never Sin upon that account because it is but a Sin of infirmity Thus ye see what we are to do and what gracious Resolutions we are to take up from the consideration of this great Truth Quest But though the Lord will not cast us off for our Sins of Infirmity yet there is much evil in this sin especially if we fall into it again and again What shall we therefore do that we may not fal into this same Sin so often Answ 1 Be sure that you do not forget your former Sins the slumber of Grace is a preparation to Sin and the forgetfulness of a former Sâ—n is a preparation unto future Sin When we forget our old Sins then God leaves us to fall into new Sins as long as the sence of old Sins abide upon your heart so long you will be kept from new Sins and as the sence of old Sins doth wear off so the lust after new Sins wil come on Would you not therefore fall into the same Sin again and again then take heed that you do not forget your old Sins or lose the sence thereof Answ 2 If you would be kept from Relapses into your infirmities or other Sins then take your Sin and quench it in the blood of Christ by a fresh act of Faith over and beyond all your Resolutions and acts of Humiliation You know how it is with a Candle if it be blown out only it is easily lighted again but if you quench it in Water it is not so easily lighted again So in regard of Sin if a man blow it out with a Resolution it wil be soon recovered but if besides a mans Resolutions and Humiliations he takes his Sin and by an act of Faith doth quench it in the blood of Christ it wil not be lighted again with that ease and facility Answ 3 And if you would not fal into the same Sin again and again then watch and pray Our Savior Christ here saw that his Disciples were like to sleep again and again and I pray you what direction doth he give them Only this Watch and pray as if watching with prayer anâ— prayer with watchfulness were the only or chief means to keep us from falling iâ—to the same Sin again and again And indeed it is not all our habitual strength that can keep us from falling for then Adam in the state of Innocency would have been kept from falling nor is it want of Temptation that can secure us from falling for then the Angels in Heaven should not have fallen for they had no Temptation there but we are kept by continual dependance upon God in Christ 't is not therefore enough to watch but we must watch in Prayer neither is it enough to pray but we must pray with watchfulness What I say therefore to one I say to you al and to mine own soul Let us watch and pray and pray and watch that we enter not into this Temptation THE FALSE APOSTLE TRYED AND DISCOVERED By William Bridge Preacher of the Gospel at Yarmouth LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. THE False Apostle TRYED AND DISCOVERED REVEL 2.2 And hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyars IT is not only the Opinion of Mr. Brightman In â—oaâ—â—â—â— Apocal. septeâ— Ecclesâ—s scribitur per quaâ— unâ— Catholica designatur Greg. Hom. 15. iâ— Ezek. Joaâ—nes seribit ad sepâ—am Ecclesias in quibus etiam universas Ecclesias septenario numero intelligimus commendari Austin Epist 106. extra septoâ—â— Ecclesias quicquid foâ—is est alicnum est optat Milevi aâ— Lib. 1. but of very antient Writers That these Seven Epistles written to the Seven Churches of Asia do contain the State and Condition of the whol Church of God unto the coming of Christ This First Epistle is written to languishing Ephesus holding forth the State of the Church presently after Christ and his Apostles and is a good Looking-glass for all those which begin now to languish and to lose their
as yet the Holy Ghost was not fallen upon them to Gift them with Spiritual Gifts neither can it be said that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated Praised and when they had praised c. For when it is to be so translated then it is joyned with an Accusative Case as Heb. 2.12 but they al sang audibly and together Thus the true Apostles of Christ were for and not against the Ordinances of Christ As for the Doctrine of Justification The true Apostles preached for Justification by imputed Righteousness and by Faith in opposition to Works Rom. 4. They never preached or told us that there is a Light in every man which followed wil bring to Salvation Indeed the Evangelist saith That Christ as God enlighteneth every one that comes into the World the wicked with the light of Reason and Understanding the Godly with the Light of Grace and the Apostle saith That the Grace of God hath appeared to al men that is both Jews and Gentiles but doth not say that the Grace of God hath appeared to al particular men but he saith The whol World lies in wickedness and a Natural man doth not perceive the things of God neither can he They never preached That any man might be perfect so as to be without sin in this Life Poterat enim Apostolus dicere si dixeri mus quod non habemus peccatum nos ipsos extollimus et humilitas in nobis non est sed cum ait nos ipsos decipimus et veritas in nobis non est satis ostendit eum qui sic dixerit non verum loqui sed falsum Concil Milevit Cau. 6. but the contrary saying If any man say he hath no sin he deceives himself and there is no truth in him 1 Joh. 1.8 he doth not say and there is no humility in him though it be pride to say so but there is no truth in him And again the Apostle James In many things we offend all Jam. 3.2 And again We see and know but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 they acknowledg indeed a perfection of Uprightness But the true Apostles never placed any Perfection in Monastical Virginity Nunc bene vivitur si sine crimine sine peccato autem si quis vivere se existimet non id agit ut peccatum non habebat sed ut veniam non accipiat Austin or abstaining from Meats Cuffs Points and Laces But saies the Apostle Col. 2.18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary Humility and in being subject to Ordinances as â—ouch not tast not handle not Which all perish in the using after the Commandements and Doctrines of men Which things indeed have a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and humility and neglecting of the Body Ver. 19 20 21 22 23. The true Apostles never preached against respect unto Magistrates Parents and Masters Indeed our Savior Christ saies Cal no man your Father neither be ye called Masters But Master he tels us at verse 8. is al one with Rabbi Now these Rabbins were their Sect-Masters who were the Masters of their Faith and such a Father and Master no man ought to be but otherwise the Apostle saith Children obey your Parents honor thy Father and Servants be subject to your Masters And did not Paul the Apostle cal himself a wise Master-Builder Acts 26.25 Paul calleth Festus most noble Festus and Agrippa King Agrippa And Chap. 27. he saith to them that were in the Ship with him Sirs I perceive this Voyage will be dangerous and again verse 21. He stood forth in the midst and said Sirs and yet again ver 25. Wherefore Sirs or excellent men be of good comfort c. The true Apostles never preached against the Resurrection and Ascention of the Body but make the Doctrine of the Resurrection a Fundamental Article of our Faith 1 Cor. 15. yea they tel us That Christ did not only rise but ascend with his Body and that our Bodies shal remain Bodies in Heaven as Christs doth Phil. 3.20 Who shal change our vile Bodies that they may be like to his glorious Body The Apostles never preached That there is no place of Heaven and Hel after Death but as they received of Christ so they delivered Truth unto us Now Christ saith expresly Go ye cursed into everlasting torment prepared for the Devil and his Angels and come ye blessed inherit the Kingdom of the Father prepared for you before the Foundation of the World These were the Doctrines of the Apostles and the true Teachers of the Gospel Doth any man therefore say I now come unto you from God and God hath sent me And doth he say there is no other Heaven nor Hel than what is in this Life Or doth he preach against the Resurrection and Ascention of our Bodies Or doth he preach against respect unto Magistrates and Civil Relations Or doth he tel you of a Light within al men which is able to bring them to Salvation Doth he preach Perfection saying That Man may be perfect and without sin in this Life Or doth he tel you of Justification by somwhat within you Or doth he cry down degrade and vilifie the Ordinances of Christ Ministry Water Baptism Lords Supper and Singing Or doth he deny the Deity of Christ on Earth or the Humanity of Christ in Heaven Or doth he preach down the Scripture by telling you that the Light and Spirit within you is your Rule Surely this Person is a false Apostle and a false Teacher Thus you may try a man by his Doctrine Thirdly A Teacher also may and must be tried by his Life and Fruits for saith our Savior Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps cloathing Matth. 7.15 16. but inwardly they are ravening Wolves ye shal know them by their Fruits As ye know a Tree not by the Leaves but by the Fruit so saith he ye shal know these men not by their first Profession but by their after Works and Waies and Fruits Quest But if they go in Sheeps cloathing how shall I know they are Wolves Answ Yes For though their cloathing be the Sheeps yet they have the Nature and disposition of Wolves the voyce howling and barking of Wolves and the practice of Wolves The Nature of a Wolf though he be in Sheeps cloathing is fierce and cruel so is the Nature Spirit and Disposition of the False Teacher 2 Tim. 3.3 Without Natural affection truce-breakers false Accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Of this sort are they ver 6. which creep into houses and lead silly women captive c. The voyce of the Wolf doth betray him he howls as the Sheep do not and barks at the Shepheards So do False Teachers do they resist the Truth as Janes and Jambres resisted Moses and are continually barking at and speaking evil of the true Ministers of the Gospel and Shepheards of the Sheep 'T is recorded of Philip of Macedon when he
Deus vult à suo templo exulare Ita est sed ulterius addo quod vitrum quam expeâ—s est coloris propâ—ii tam facile refert alicnoâ— quibuscunque enim liquoribus imbuitur statim concolor efficitur sub hoc igitur typo voluit Deus à suo obsequio arcere eos omnes qui non servant unam vivendi rationem sed in diversâ— studia seruntur et nunc hos nunc illos mores imitantur Mendoza in Reg. 1. Cap. 1. pag. 300. what a blessed fâ—anâ—e of heart is this fixed Spirit Surely it is that Grace wherein God is much delighted An unsetled Soul God cares not for nor for any Work or Service that is done by him We read of hundreds and thousands of Vessels of Gold Silver and Brass that were in the Temple but not of one Crystal Glass or Vessel why so saith one but because that is of a brittle fragile and uncertain Nature which as it hath no color of its own so its apt to receive the color of any Liquor So iâ— an unsetled man and unconstant whom God cares not for in his Temple and Service Who cares for the Service of a Fool or regards the Prayers Desires or Pâ—titions of a Fool If a Fool knock earnestly at your door you say to your Servant Go not to the door it is the Fool that knocketh and if a Fool com and speak to you you regard not what he saith Now an unconstant unsetled Soul is a foolish Soul It is the property of a Fool to be alwaies a beginning he begins a good work and then he leaves it off then he begins another and he leaves off that Stultus semper incipit vivere the Fool doth alwaies begin to live And the same word in the Hebrew and Scripture Phrase that signifies an Unconstant man signifies a Fool 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stultus insipiens varius mobilis levis inconstans and if ye look into Eccles 5. ye shal find that the Sacrifice of Fools is called so upon account of Unconstancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Unsetledness for saies Solomon When thou vowest a Vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in Fools pay that which thou hast vowed ver 4. And therefore if an unsetled man pray and knock at Gods door he wil say Let him alone regard him not 't is that unsetled Fool that unconstant Fool who is off and on to and fro in my Service God hath no pleasure in Fools and an unsetled unestablished soul is a Fool in Scripture Language surely therefore he is so in the eyes of God But if a man be fixed and established the Lord delighteth in him Ut venti in autumno arbores non tollunt sed folia secum in auras ferunt sic tristia leves tamen mentes movent fortes et in pietate firmas non evertunt Origen Homil. 13. in Numb Maximum malae mentis indicium sluctuatio Sen. and in al those Works and Services that are done by him Establishing Grace is a great Mercy 5. And it is also the Character of a good and gracious person whereby he is distinguished from the ungodly of the World A good man lives and dwelleth at the sign of a setled Conversation he is planted by the Rivers of Water Psal 1. the wicked are as the Chaff that are driven to and fro not setled not planted It is true indeed that a moral civil man may be naturally of a fixed Spirit serious staid and setled in his Moralities but though he be setled in what is Morally good yet he is also setled upon his Lees in what is Spiritually evil setled in prejudice against the Saints and against the Power of Godliness setled in his neglect of the Sabbath c. and though he be of a fixed Spirit and temper Naturally yet that fixation doth not arise to any high or great matter It 's an easie thing to cast up the Account truly Virtus est circa difficile bonum sed in parvis opeâ—ibus constantem esse non est difficile Aquin. where the Sum is smal Morality is a smal Sum. When did ye hear of a Boat cast away in the River the narrow Waters 'T is the Ship that puts to Sea that doth make the Shipwrack smal Boats seldom miscarry in the narrow Waters Now the Civil Moral man doth trade in the narrow Waters and he boasts that he doth not miscarry some make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience but as for me saith he I walk constantly evenly and these many yeers have made no Shipwrack of my Profession as others have done But I pray what is the reason He never put to Sea he never yet did lanch forth into the great Ocean of the Gospel he trades in the narrow Waters of his own Righteousness and therein he is exact and constant But now take a godly gracioâ—s man and he doth abound in the work of the Lord and ye◠〈◊〉 â—â—shed in it according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwaies aâ—ounding in the Work of the Lord Why For as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Surely therefore it is a great Mercy and blessing to be setled in the Truth and established in the good Waies of God a Mercy for a Nation a Mercy for a Church a Mercy for a Particular Person to be thus established And therefore In the Second place It is worthy of al our Prayers which is the Second Part of the Doctrine for saith the Doctrine It is a great Blessing and worthy of all our Prayers to be setled and established in the good Waies of God First It is that Mercy Grace and Blessing which we al need Man in his best estate or according to the Hebrew Expression Man in his most consistent and setled estate is altogether vanity Man at the best is a poor wavering and unsetled Creature yea saith the Scripture God saw no stability in his Angels and therfore if we do naturally labor under such instability we have al need to pray and to pray much for this Grace of Establishment Secondly It is God only who doth give out this Grace it belongs unto him alone to establish Nations Churches and Persons 1. He is able to establish those who do come to him for it Rom. 16.25 Now to him that is of power to establish you c. 2. He is willing to do it 2 Thes 3.3 But the Lord is Faithful who will establish you and keep you from evil 3. He is engaged to do it for he hath promised to do it as hath beâ—n proved already and it is his Prerogative 2 Cor. 1.21 Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God As for a Land or Nation it is the Lord alone tâ—at doth settle it He looseth the Girdles of Princes and maketh them to wander or stagger
constant in seeking Earthly things it is shame to be inconstant in seeking heavenly things ibid. 5 If you be not constant in Good you will be constant in evil ibid. 6 The more unconstant you are the more you make the way to Heaven difficult Lastly Go to God by Prayer for fixation Page 450 FINIS The Contents The great Things Faith can do On Hebrews 11.32 Sermon I. THe Text Opened Page 1 2 DOCT. Saving Faith will do very great things Page 3 Opened by three Propositions 1 Saving Faith is a working Grace ibid. 2 Saving Faith will do great things 3 How saving Faith comes to do great things First Proposition proved ib. 1 True Faith hath the spirit of the Gospel in it ibid. 2 'T is a friend to work ibid. 3 'T is the first worker in the soul ibid. 4 It is an universal work Page 4 5 It works best alone ibid. 6 It works best somtimes in the dark ibid. 7 It works best at last ibid. II. What are those great things Faith can do Page 5 Answ Faith will do as great things now as it did under the old Testament ibid. 1 Is it not a great matter to overcome temptations ibid. 2 Is it not a great matter to perform duties to the hazard of life ibid. 3 Is it not a great matter to mortifie fears ibid. 4 Is it not a great matter to mortifie your cares ibid. 5 Is it not a great matter to have your griefs asswaged ibid. 6 Is it not a great matter to be kept steady in times of changes Page 6 7 Is it not a great matter to be a stranger to the world ibid. 8 Is it not a great matter for a man to be faithful under all his betrustments ibid. 9 Is it not a great matter to see things invisible ibid. 10 Is it not a great matter for a man to live in dependance only upon Christ ibid. More Comparatively There are three great Agents in the world â—ut Faith works beyond them all Page 6 1 Compared with Power Page 7 2 Compared with moral Honesty This is Proved by three Reasons ibid. 3 How it may appear that faith can do more than Gospel Gifts and common grace It is made to appear by four Arguments Page 8 9 III. How comes it to pass that true faith can do such great things Page 10 Answered by four Reasons 1 It goes forth in the might of Gods Promise ibid. 2 It goes forth in the might of Gods Power ibid. 3 It goes forth in the strength of Gods Call ibid. 4 It goes forth in the sence of what God and Christ hath done for the Soul Page 11 Application 1 The Reason why men do no great things in their Generation is because they want Faith ibid. 2 If you would do great things call in for faith Page 12 Quest How shal we improve our faith to do great things Page 13 Answ 1 Study much the greatness of God ibid. 2 Keep close to Gods Ordinances ibid. 3 Do not chide off your heart from beleeving Page 14 4Vse your faith to do smal things ibid. 5 Look much upon the Call you have to any work Page 15 Notes from Verse 32. 1 The number of Beleevers under the old Testament it seems was not smal ibid. 2 God will own that Faith that is but weak at first ibid. 3 From Sampson I collect it is possible a great sinner may be a true Beleever ibid. 4 Note from Jeptha a bastard may be a true beleever ibid. 5 From the mentioning of David Samuel and the Prophets c. consider when God hath extraordinary work to do be raiseth up extraordinary men Page 17 Lastly You see what high esteem God hath of Faith ib. The Great Things Faith can suffer ON Hebrews 11.35 Sermon II. The Text opened Page 20 21 DOCT. True saving Faith will suffer great things ib. Three Propositions 1 A true Beleever may suffer hard things 2 Faith wil carry him through them 3 How Faith can carry him through them ibid. The first Proposition proved Page 21 22 23 Quest Secondly How shall a man be able to go through these hard things ibid. Answ True saving Faith will do it Proved by four Reasons Page 23 24 Object We have read of many that suffered hard things yet had not this faith ibid. Answ 1 A wicked man may suffer as an evil Doer Page 25 2 A wicked man doth not suffer upon choyce ibid. 3 He doth not lay the stress of all upon Faith ibid 4 He suffers not cheerfully but discontentedly ibid. 5 He will rest upon his sufferings ibid. 6 He will yield at last Page 26 7 He doth not bring forth the quiet fruits of Righteousness ibid. Quest Thirdly By what means can Faith do this ibid. Answ 1 It is the work of saith to submit to Gods will ibid. 2 It is the work of Faith to cleave to the Commandement of God ibid. 3 It is the work of faith to close with the Gospel Page 27 4 It is the work of faith to look upon the recompence of râ—ward ibid. 5 The more one sees the hand of God as a Father in sufferings the more able a man will be to suffer ibid. 6 The more a man can see to the end of his affliction the better he will go through it ib. 7 It is the proper work of faith to look on both sides of the dispensation Page 28 8 It is the proper work of faith to see one contrary in another ibid. 9 If God engage to help us faith can suffer much in afflictions ibid. Application If any man be to suffer great things let him call for faith Page 29 Object These are no suffering times ibid Answ Bless God for your Gospel Liberty Consider the sufferings of your Brethren ibid. Particular applications to several conditions ibid. Who knows how soon suffering times may come Page 30 Quest How shall we strengthen our Faith that we may be able to suffer ibid. Answ 1 Consider frequently what great things the Lord hath done for you already ibid 2 Study much the Book of the Revelations which is a standing Cordial for suffering times Page 31 3 Consider frequently the great gain of suffering Page 32 That suffering times are gaining times proved by ten Arguments Page 32 1 Suffering times are teaching times ibid. 2 Suffering times are sin-discovering times ibid. 3 They are self-bethinking times ibid. 4 They are growing times ib. 5 They are truth-adorning times ibid. 6 They are uniting times Page 33 7 They are praying times ib. 8 They are soul-assuring times ibid. 9 They are weaning times ib. 10 They are Heavenly and glorious times ibid. Three Observations from the Words Page 34 1 Consider the Persons that suffered mentioned in the text whence I collect That greatness of sufferings are no argument to make you doubt of your Salvation ibid. 2 They suffered in hopes of a better Resurrection whence consider what those men are that would steal from you the hopes of a better Resurrection Page 35 3 They suffered all by faith whence observe That it is no easie thing to beleeve Page 36 FINIS
things This Doctrine lies upon the surface of the words and al the words together speak it but for the further opening and cleering of it First I shal labor to shew you that it is possible that a true Beleever one very precious in the Eyes of God may meet with most unworthy things from the hands of men Secondly That faith wil carry through these And Thirdly How and by what means faith wil carry a man through these First It is possible that a true Beleever one very precious in the eyes of God may meet with most unworthy usage from the hands of men these were hard things and unworthy that these Beleevers suffered yet they were such of whom the world was not worthy You know there is an old enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent a malignant disposition in the men of the world against the Saints and People of God they must work as they are the wicked and men of the world are an unworthy people But because you judg your selves unworthy saith the Text Lo we turn to the Gentiles because ye judg your selves unworthy Go saith our Savior unto his Disciples and preach and if any be worthy stay the men of the world are unworthy an unworthy people Yea they are an unreasonable people absurd men impertinent men that have not Faith They are compared in Scripture unto beasts for their unreasonableness Beware of Dogs saith the Apostle When our Lord and Savior Christ did send out his Disciples to preach the Gospel Beware of men saith he I do not say takâ— heed and beware of Lyons and Bears but beware of men you shal find such unreasonable dealing by men therefore beware of men Now if the men of the world be an unworthy People and unreasonable wil ye wonder that the Saints and People of God meet somtimes with unworthy usage from them It is possible To raise it a little higher possibly the more precious a man is the more unworthy usage he may meet withal The Apostle Paul was a most precious man in his day and Generation and yet what unworthy usage had he It is said in 1 Cor. 4.11 Vnto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place and labor working with our own hands being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we intreat we are made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things unto this day We are the filth we are made the filth of the world and the off-scouring of al things unto this day Some think that the Apostle here doth relate unto that of one man dying for the People the guilt of al the People being upon him Others that it is a similitude taken from a kind of Tumbrel and Vessel that goes up and down the City that ye throw al the filth into But I rather take the two Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to relate unto that in Lament 3. verse 45. Thou hast made us as the off-scouring and reffuse in the midst of the People In the Hebrew Thou hast made us the off scouring and the filth and reffuse in the midst of the People Thus Paul was made and yet Paul a precious man he labored more abundantly than they al. So that I say it is possible that the more precious a man is the more unworthy usage he may meet withal from men Yea to raise it a little higher It is possible that a man may meet with most unworthy dealings therefore because he is precious in the eyes of God not only in regard of men but in regard of God For God doth somtimes so order things in his Providence that he doth put men to suffer hard things because they are precious in his Eyes Vnto you it is given not only to beleeve but to suffer Suffering somtimes is a Gift it is a great Gift A suffering Gift saith Chrysostom is a greater Gift than the Gift of Miracles for saith he if God do give me a Gift to work Miracles by I am in Gods debt but if God do give me a suffering Gift he is pleased thereby to become my Debtor suffering somtimes becomes as a reward for Doing Ye read of the Heifers that brought home the Ark out of the Philistims Country that when they brought the Ark home the Israelites they take the Heifers and they offer up the Heifers unto God for a Sacrifice why so saith one it is an il requital to the Heifers No the Heifers could not have a higher Honor put upon them this their Suffering is a Reward for their Doing And so what greater Honor can a man have after al his Doing for God than to be called forth to Suffer and to bear witness to the Truth Indeed we do not think thus but you wil say O! surely God doth not love me because he puts such hard suffering work upon me But I pray tel me Suppose that a General should have some great Work or Service to do and he should single and pick some half a dozen Soldiers for to go upon this work would these Soldiers say surely the General doth not prize us he doth not honor us nor love us because he puts us upon this hard Service No but they wil say the contrary surely the General prizeth us loves us and honors us because he puts us upon such a hard Service as this is So here it doth rather argue that the Lord doth honor love and prize you in that he puts you upon a hard work and Service But now if these things be true then surely this first Branch is sufficiently made out That a man may be very precious in the Eyes of God and yet meet with most unworthy usage from the hands of men That is the first thing Quest Secondly You wil say How shall a man be able to go through these hard things and Sufferings what will carry him through them Answ True saving Faith wil do it and nothing but this Faith wil do it I had verily fainted in mine affliction saith David but that I beleeved It is Faith and Faith alone that wil keep from fainting under suffering And to make this out a little unto yâ—u First The more assurance of Gods Love any man hath the more able he wil be to encounter with Sufferings and with afflictions the sight of Gâ—ds Love doth cause Love in us to God Amor amoris causa Love is the cause of Love and much Water cannot quench Love it endures al. Now the Assurance of Gods Love grows upon Faith it is the Flower of Faith Faith is the Stalk Assurance is the Flower Assurance is the Cream of Faith Let us draw neer with ful assurance of Faith Secondly The more that any man is â—ble to gather up and to mannage his Experiences the more able he wil be to suffer to encounter with Sufferings Experience is
a great Help in Suffering times Now it is Faith and only Faith that can gather up and mannage Experiences The Lord saith he that delivered me from the Lyon and the Bear it was Faith that did gather up this Experience and did mannage it So in Psal 56. When I cry unto thee at verse 9. then shall mine Enemies turn back how do you know this saith he this I know how for God is for me this I know for God is for me I have this experience of God that he is with me and for me and therefore I know it But Thirdly The more that any man is able to apply the Promise the more able he wil be to suffer to incounter with Sufferings the Promise is a great Shelter in a rainy day Now there is nothing but Faith that can apply the Promise the Promise is the Plaister that none but the warm hand of Faith can lay on upon the Sore if it be laid on by any other hands it wil not stick I have heard of a poor doubting Soul drawiâ—g neer to her Death and the Minister pressing one Promise after another O Sir saith she these are gracious Promises but they wil not stick upon my heart And what is the Reason that the Promise indeed doth not stick upon many hearts but because it is laid on by the chil and cold hand of Unbelief Remember Faith hath a warm hand and only Faith hath a warm hand to lay on the Promise But then again Fourthly The more that any man doth see his Call cleerly his Cal to Suffer the more able he wil be to encounter with his Sufferings Now it is Faith only that doth Trade with the Call of God Gods Call is a great Wal a strong Wal Gods Call can make a Wal of Water When the Children of Israel went through the red Sea the Water stood like a Wal on each side it was Gods Cal that made those Wals there is nothing but Faith that doth converse with the Call of God and makes out the Cal of God Three things cal us to suffer 1. The Commandement of Christ If thou wilt be my Disciple thou must deny thy self and take up thy Cross 2. The Example of Christ for thereunto are we called in 1 Pet. 2.5 Christ hath left us an example of Suffering And 3. Suffering strength with suffering opportunity Now there is nothing but Faith is able to discern these things and therfore Faith and Faith alone is that Grace under Christ which can carry us through our affliction and Suffering although they be never so great Object But you wil say We have heard and read of many that have suffered hard things and yet had none of this Faith no true saving Faith and yet have suffered great and hard things Answ True you have heard it may be of some Jesuites dying for their Religion it is possible that a wicked man may suffer much and that upon the account of his Religion too but as Austin speaks There is an unlikeness of suffering in the likeness of Suffering As saith he Gold is in the same Fire with the Wood and with the Straw with the same Fire the Straw is consumed and the Gold is refined Things suffered may be alike and yet a great unlikeness in the suffering And to cleer up this to you that you may see that Faith alone is able to do this First Though a wicked man may suffer very great and hard things yet he may also suffer as an evil Doer If ye suffer for evil doing saith the Apostle what thanks have ye But Faith true saving Faith it doth wel and suffers ill And Secondly Though a wicked man may suffer much and very hard things yet he doth not suffer upon choyce he would chuse rather if it were at his choyce to make a breach upon Conscience than a breach in his Estate for to lose his Conscience than to lose his Life he doth not suffer upon choyce Faith doth By Faith Moses chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God True saving Faith it suffers great and hard things and that upon choyce And Thirdly Though a wicked man may suffer much yet he doth not lay the stress of al upon the word of Faith the stress of al is laid upon somwhat else Faith loves to suffer and it laies the stress of al a mans Sufferings upon the word of Faith Fourthly Though a wicked man may suffer much and that upon an account of Religion yet it may be he is sullen or froward or discontented not cheerful but Faith suffers cheerfully Paul and Silas sung in the Stocks and the Primitive Christians took with joyfulness the spoiling of their Goods And so the Martyrs in Queen Maries daies It is reported that when Mr. Philpot was in the Dungeon the Bishop sent to him to know why he was so merry Seeing a pair of Stocks in the Dungeon saith he there 's a pair of Organs that I have not played on yet making himself cheerful in the time he was in the Dungeon And meeting with a Minister that had recanted and informing him better the Minister made a Recantation of his Recantation and was as cheerful as any others Faith suffers cheerfully Fiftly Though a wicked man may suffer much and that upon the account of his Religion yet he wil rest upon his Sufferings Faith wil make one suffer and keep one from resting upon ones Suffering As in regard of Duty Faith wil make one perform a Duty and it wil keep one from resting upon that Performance So in regard of Sufferings Faith wil make one suffer and it wil keep one from resting upon ones Suffering In case that a man hath done much Faith wil put him on to suffer as if he had done nothing and in case a man hath suffered much Faith wil put him upon doing as if he had suffered nothing according to that of our Savior He that will be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me follow me when after a suffering not to sit down and rest there but to follow me after a Suffering Again Sixtly Though a wicked man may suffer much and that upon the account of his Religion and be very confident yet he wil give in at last I have read of a great Atheist that was burnt to Death in Paris for blaspheming of Jesus Christ and as he was going to the Stake saith he to the Fryars and Priests that followed him Behold how boldly I go to the Fire as for your Lord and Master Christ he went trembling to his death and sweat drops of blood but I in the strength of Reason under which I sacrifice my Life go with boldness unto these flames But when he came there and his Tongue was cut out for Blasphemy the Story saith that then he cried out and roared out like a Bull vidi ego hominem saith the Author I saw the man I saw him when he was at the Stake In